Corrib gas should benefit the people of Ireland not Shell

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Tuesday June 27, 2006 16:13

by rory - people before profit alliance

the campaign continues

Press Release: From Davitt League

Monday June 26th

As we enter the one year anniversary of the Jailing of the Rossport Five it is important to reassert that the people of Ireland and Mayo continue to campaign for Shell to be sent to sea and for a re-negotiation of the Corrib Gas Deal to benefit the people of Ireland and not Shell and their friends in business and government. We also intend to raise this as an election issue in the forthcoming election.

The Davitt League and the People Before Profit Alliance were outside the Dail today at lunch-time supporting the Shell to Sea Campaign’s marking of the anniversary.

Maura Harrington, Davitt League and Shell to Sea campaigner said:
The proposed Shell Project in Nth Mayo, based on the cheapest way to maximise oil shareholders profits with near total disregard to the rights of the receiving communities – compounded by FF/PD/FG facilitation for the past six years – adds regional environmental insult to national economic injury.

Rory Hearne, People Before Profit Alliance said:
The total value of the Corrib gas field is estimated at around 45 billion euro while the Dunquin gas field, from which Tony O Reilly recently benefited 1.5 billion, is estimated to be worth substantially more. The oil and gas exploration scheme was changed in the 1980s by Dick Spring, Ray Burke and others when gas and oil prices were at historically low levels. Now that situation has changed it is time to re-negotiate the schemes from profiting the big oil and gas corporations to benefiting the people of Ireland. Ireland’s natural resources wealth should be used to develop an unprecedented expansion and improvement of our public health care, education and transport infrastructure.
Irish politicians would do well to re-read the founding programme of Dail Eireann to which they are supposed to follow. An appropriate quote appears in Ken Loach’s new film, the Wind that Shakes the Barley:
“It shall be our duty to promote the development of the Nation's resources…in the interests and for the benefit of the Irish People”.

Contact Maura Harrington: 087 9591474

Rory Hearne, People Before Profit Alliance, 086 1523542 www.people-before-profit.org