the day after we vote "yes" to Lisbon Treaty.....

fROM:SHELL TO SEA

6.10.2009

Eamon Ryan and Eamon Ó Cuív yesterday announced a gift of €750,000 being awarded to the parish of Kilcommon. Why this isolated rural community would be singled out by the ministers is obvious to local people. The money is a result of the North West Mayo Community Forum which was set up by the ministers, though local community groups have refused to engage with it as it is perceived as an attempt to bribe the community.

“They are trying to buy our consent” says Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington. “It is crumbs off the table compared to what Shell expects to make off this project they are trying to force through our community.”

Ms. Harrington argues that if the ministers were to truly act on behalf of their people, they would not let the Corrib Gas Project go ahead in its current form.

“The Government is making cuts everywhere, while 420 billion worth of oil and gas sits off the west coast of Ireland, all to be given away to multinational corporations with no benefit to the Irish people,” says Harrington.

“They will never get consent as long as our lives and our community are in danger and our nation's natural resources are being given away to corporations”

For Immediate Release:

Today, Wednesday 21st October at 1pm, Shell to Sea stopped illegal work at Glengad, Co Mayo, when a campaigner climbed on the arm of a Volvo digger. Shell were preparing to drill bore holes in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and the action was to stop this work from going ahead. Currently Shell have been stopped for 3 hours before their work has reached the SAC.

Shell confirmed to Shell to Sea that they are relying solely on the consent of the landowner for the works to be carried out, however works on an SAC site requires permission of the Minister for Environment under the the EC Habitats Regulations.

The work is being carried out only two hundred metres from where Shell & RPS were stopped from drilling in October 2007. Commenting on that unauthorised drilling work Minister Gormley said: “The actions of the Shell contractors in entering a Special Area of Conservation and carrying out works without authorisation are a matter of serious concern to me. I find it unacceptable that this has occurred at a time when my Department has been making special efforts to keep in communication with Shell during the course of this project to date.”

This latest work comes just days before the expected Bord Pleanála decision regarding the onshore pipeline.

Commenting from Glengad, Terence Conway stated "Shell & Co. are making a total mockery of the laws of this country. They've been riding roughshod over this community for years now and they're doing it to planning law now too. It is time for John Gormley and the Government to stand up to the bullying of Shell”.

For verification or further comment, please contact:

Terence Conway 086 0866264
Maura Harrington 087 959 1474