New petition to suspend the work on the Corrib Gas Project

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Sunday August 30, 2009 11:43 by Galway Shell to Sea - S2S suspendthework at gmail dot com

Supported by Afri and the local community

Galway Shell to Sea group with the support of Afri and the community in the Erris area are organising a new petitioning initiative calling for a suspension of the work on the corrib gas project.

Signatures will be gathered at public events and by e- mail. The text of the letter requesting signatures is below in both English and Irish anyone wishing to sign or forward this to their contacts for signatures should make sure that they forward all signatures gathered to the following e- mail address suspendthework@gmail.com

This petition is worded so as to have the widest appeal, and the wording has been agreed by representatives of the local groups and Afri so please use this text if you are willing to gather signatures.Please support this initiative by dispersing it as widely as possible.

Anyone wishing for a copy of the actual petition can request a word copy of it from the address above.

Texts for e-mails requesting signatures:

Dear ....

As you will be aware, for the past ten years the location and the manner of execution of the Corrib Gas project in north Mayo have been the source of considerable concern. This Government has rejected all attempts at genuine compromise and mediation on the part of those who have concerns about the health and safety of the project. Furthermore in what Afri has termed 'The Great Gas Giveaway' the terms agreed with the oil companies have ensured that one of Ireland's most valuable assets will not be exploited for the benefit of the Irish people.

We are writing to request that you add your name to our petition which calls for a suspension of the work on the project pending an independent investigation by a body qualified to asses the safety, economic, environmental and human rights aspects of this project. We aim to deliver this petition to Taoiseach Brian Cowen within a period of three months and to use it to remind him that the first responsibility of a government is to its people.

In order to have your name added to this petition please reply to this mail with your name address and affiliation (if any) and a sentence saying you agree to be named as a supporter of Afri's call for a suspension of work on the Corrib Gas project pending a full investigation.

Please add your name to this call for a suspension of the work, which we believe, is essential as a first step in resolving this conflict.

Yours Sincerely

------------------------------

A chara,

Mar is eol duit, is údar mór imní do phobal Iorrais, suíomh Thionscnamh Ghás na Coirbe agus an chaoi a bhfuiltear ag cur an togra i gcrích. Tá diúltaithe ag an Rialtas seo do chuile iarracht ar chomhréiteach agus idirghabháil uathu siúd ar cás leo sláinte an phobail agus sabháilteacht an tionscnaimh. De bhreis ar sin, cinntíonn na téarmaí a aontaíodh leis na comhlactaí ola nach mbainfidh an pobal áitiúil ná muintir na hÉireann aon leas as an bhforbairt atá á beartú. Seo é go deimhin an Great Gas Giveaway mar a thug Afri air!

Táimid ag iarraidh ort go gcuirfeá d’ainm lenár n-achainí ag éileamh go gcuirfí obair an tionscnaimh seo ar fionraí go dtí go ndéanann foras cáilithe iniúchadh neamhspleách ar an tionscnamh seo ó thaobh sábháilteachta, eacnamaíochta, timpeallachta agus cearta daonna. Tá fúinn an achainí seo a chur i láthair an Taoisigh, Brian Cowen, laistigh de thrí mhí, agus feidhm a bhaint as le meabhrú dó gurb é céad dualgas aon rialtais cúram a dhéanamh do leas a phobail.

Más mian leatsa d’ainm a chur leis an achainí seo, seol ar ais chugainn, le do thoil, d’ainm, do sheoladh, agus (más cuí), luaigh aon eagraíocht lena mbaineann tú. Iarrtar ort freisin a chur i bhfocail go bhfuil tú sásta go n-áireofaí thú mar dhuine a thacaíonn le hachainí Afri go gcuirfí an obair ar Thionscnamh Ghás na Coirbe ar fionraí go dtí go ndéantar fiosrú iomlán ar an scéal.

Cuir d’ainm, le do thoil, leis an achainí seo go gcuirfí an obair ar fionraí. Seo, dar linn, an chéad chéim is gá a thógáil le réiteach a fháil ar an aighneas seo.

Le meas,

----------------------------------