Rossport Five vindicated by High Court ruling

by m.m.mccarron - o.s.i. Wed Apr 18, 2007 19:51

I am so grateful that you shared this news with us all so quickly. It makes every day at the High Court worth the hardship.No one can ever undo the unfairness meted out to the Rossport 5.

by Supporter - Shell to Sea Wed Apr 18, 2007 19:51

Rossport Five’s position vindicated
Dr Mark Garavan (NUI Seanad candidate)
April 18th, 2007

Today’s judgement of the High Court that Shell’s application to drop their
application for a permanent injunction be granted subject to costs on this issue
being awarded to the local landowners and that CAOs against the landowners
involved be dropped is a welcome and significant development in the Corrib gas
conflict.

This decision amounts to a complete vindication of the stance taken by the
Rossport Five in 2005. The pipeline that the men objected to cannot now be
continued with. The injunction under which the men were imprisoned has now been
withdrawn by Shell. Legal questions to do with the pipeline and wider project
remain before the High Court. It must now be clear to all fair minded observers
that a great wrong has been done by Shell to the men, their families and the
community of North Mayo.

The Rossport Five should never have been imprisoned.
However, these actions by Shell are symptomatic of the disordered nature of the
Corrib gas project which, unfortunately, is still proceeding. That project needs
to be discontinued and a full, independent review conducted to determine the
optimum development model for Corrib based on community consent. Shell’s refusal
to do this merely underlines their continued indifference to the community
affected by their proposed project.

by Niall - Shell to Sea Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:05

Congratulations to the Rossport Five and to Bríd McGarry.

I think it's important to acknowledge especially the intense hard work and energy given to this legal process by Brendan Philbin and Bríd McGarry to achieve this breakthrough. Well done to them and their legal team.

Justice Mary Laffoy has proved herself here to be able to discern ... and to judge.

Lesson learned: Stay focused and the breakthroughs will come.

by Etain - Shell To Sea Thu Apr 19, 2007 14:12

Great news! It is only a matter of time, before shell are sent packing out of Bellanaboy, well done!
There is hope for environmental policy making in Ireland . Long may it continue!!!!!

by chrissie Thu Apr 19, 2007 16:14

they shld get huge compensatoin & Shell shld pay for the water pollution! God bless em for their resistance!

by The Eskimo - ballinrobe friends of s2s Thu Apr 19, 2007 16:21

Congrats to all those who stuck to their guns. You have won a deserved victory. i have no doubt but before long we will need an extra chapter to your book - "Our story". Well done

by Jack Doyle - New Route Thu Apr 19, 2007 17:06

Well done to all. But can anybody tell me by what route SHELL now propose to bring the pipeline to the terminal site ?

by Mick Butler Thu Apr 19, 2007 17:18

Did this get onto the news last night can anyone tell me ? Great news for all concerned, I agree with Niall to stay focussed and I would add watch the detail, law is far too important to be left to lawyers, but fair play to the good ones,

Fair play to all ! In the words of the Spanish woman and anti facist fighter whose name I can't recall "You are history, you are legend ".
And I do'nt think that is an overstatement for activists and citizens who are involved in this campaign.

by m.m.mccarron - o.s.i Thu Apr 19, 2007 17:35

Once the news came through in Indymedia I have listened to 6 pm and 9pm news, to Drivetime yesterday and I am now listening to that of today as well as to most of the TV news bulletins.And to the talk shows in between. I have not heard one reference to the case which if the Irish Times could get it for the fine account today, then there must be an embargo on it in RTE. After all the Rossport 5 topped the Turbidy popularity poll some time ago so the story in not distant or unimportant to the public of Ireland. I hope someone can assure me that I missed coverage but it is nowhere to be heard from where I am listening. Thanks for the comment.

by Mick Butler Thu Apr 19, 2007 21:15

Many thanks for that ,it is shocking. What to do ? The Montrose people should be named and shamed, lacerated in fact,it it plain that the pressure is coming on them but to expose same through some form of admission on their part seems possible.

by reality Thu Apr 19, 2007 21:51

what are you on about?
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0418/corrib.html
shell went to court to discontuine their legal action against the rossport residents.
Shell won the case and were allowed to discontuine the proceedings.
The costs were awarded against them, which is no surprise as it is they who wants to discontuine .
also no mention onRTE of the summons that has been served on the O,Donnell's of S2S.

by Jack Thu Apr 19, 2007 22:44

Mc Dowell says he is prepared not to enter govt. if the Poolbeg incinerator goes ahead.
If he is min. for justice at the time permission is granted will he set the cops on local protestors?
Will he don the jackboots in Dublin like he does in Mayo?
Contrast his support for his constituents with that of the forelock-tugging sheep t.ds. in Mayo -
Ring (baa!) Kenny (baader!) etc. etc.
Only Cowley, like him or not, has balls.

by ex-td Thu Apr 19, 2007 22:57

"Only Cowley, like him or not, has balls."
He might have balls, but he wont be a TD after the election, (thanks to S2S)

by Jill Thu Apr 19, 2007 23:02

He may/may not have a seat but he will still have his integrity and dignity.
Which would you rather lose?
A few sitting t.ds. stand to lose all three.

by Jacqueline Fallon Thu Apr 19, 2007 23:36

Well those conditions attached to the dropping of the injunction were a slap on the hand for Shell dána, and should teach them a lesson not to be messing about with injunctions, and far more importantly, with Irish people's lives. Shell thought the Rossport five's protest would easily be overcome with an injunction and imprisonment, not foreseeing the public outcry there would be at seeing Irish landowners imprisoned for protecting their lands and their families' health from a Shell high pressure pipeline. Congratulations to the Rossport 5!

Comhghairdeas daoibh!

by Chris McCabe Fri Apr 20, 2007 19:06

That's a disgrace from RTE to ignore this result - give them your opinions! We hafta make sure this whole issue doesn't get ignored. See yez there!