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Protest outside Dáil as Gas Giveaway continues

category dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report author Sunday December 04, 2011 14:26author by Naoise O'Mongáin - Rossport Against Sellout and Betrayal

"Those whose only comfort zone is found within the establishment passed by with heads averted"

On 29 Nov 2011 the CNRA (Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture) Dáil Committee met to hear submissions from Pro Gas Mayo (Brendan Cafferty), Council for the West (Sean Hannick), Pobal le Chéile and Pobal Chill Chomáin; Cafferty and Hannick were accompanied by Shell PR Christy Loftus; the Pobals by Gerry Murray Sinn Féin County Councillor Mayo.
Fiachra Ó Luain
Fiachra Ó Luain

Most of the group who protested left their homes in Mayo that morning at 5am to maintain a
presence outside the Dáil which continued until 8pm that night. They were joined by other
supporters including Colm Roddy in Dublin and congratulated for their effort by, among others,
the prominent politicians Richard Boyd Barrett, Luke the Ming Flanagan and Mick Wallace. Also
joining the protest during the day was politician and activist Fiachra Ó Luain.

Not unexpectedly those whose only comfort zone is found within the establishment passed by with heads
averted to take part in a farcical process designed solely to provide a figleaf for the continued giveaway
of our oil and gas at a time when the country and its people are on their knees through the chicanery and
cravenness of past and current governments.

Richard Boyd Barrett
Richard Boyd Barrett

The call of their masters was stronger than a call of nature to the Pobails
The call of their masters was stronger than a call of nature to the Pobails

Mick Wallace
Mick Wallace

Luke "The Ming" Flanagan
Luke "The Ming" Flanagan

Comments (7 of 7)

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author by Nora Murphypublication date Sun Dec 04, 2011 16:42author address author phone

Now that self-appointed, self-aggrandizing outfits such as  Mayo Pro Gas Council for the West, Pobail le Cheile, Pobal Chill Chomain and what you are doing the cul-de-sac "submissions" thing, all the more reason to support Naoise, Maura, Shell to Sea and the Rossport Solidarity Camp where the resistance is authentic and strong.?

author by Concerned Local - Nonepublication date Mon Dec 05, 2011 19:46author address author phone

It's good that this has been put on Indymedia.ie. I think it's important that people know that the Pobal Cill Chomain have not held a meeting in public since about last February or March,

They have a lot to say about community consultation when they're away in Dublin and other far away places but they don't practice what they preach at home.

You never hear or see them where it counts down here. They seem to have given up and they're only going through the motions to keep their names in the papers and their faces on the television.

author by Annepublication date Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:27author address author phone

The pro Shell lobby seem to be trying a new tactic on indy this time around - instead of posting comments on this thread they tried to bump up a thread from 2008 with a 'Shell is great' biteen of manufactured news.

I believe the reason for that is that any pro Sheller cannot bear to look at the Begging Bowl - it really gets to them!

The truth of the matter is that no matter what the apologists say, the only way Shell operates in Erris is through appealing to peoples greed . It's said that those who can be bought come cheap and Shell proves that here by throwing a few euro to whoever puts the hand out and then using them to try to prove that Shell is welcome in the community and is doing good in the place.

The begging bowl puts that in perspective and that's why it's hated!

author by Bogwatcherpublication date Thu Dec 08, 2011 16:13author address author phone

"There is a lack of political integrity and weak political influence in this country and I am unsure if we will ever get around that. Unfortunately, our political classes have been too close to big business and to development. When politicians see development as a reason for being, difficulties relating to undue influence on projects will always arise."

Related Link: http://www.shelltosea.com/content/dáil-committe-debate-29th-nov-2011-pobal-chill-chomá-pobal-le-chéile-pro-gas-mayo-submission
author by Patchpublication date Sun Dec 11, 2011 17:35author address author phone

Whats that toilet all about then??

author by Bogwatcherpublication date Sun Dec 11, 2011 23:18author address author phone

"The term off-color humor (also known as vulgar humor or crude humor) is an Americanism used to describe jokes, prose, poems, black comedy, blue comedy, insult comedy, cringe comedy and skits that deal with topics that are considered to be in poor taste or overly vulgar by the prevailing morality of a culture. Most commonly labeled as "off-color" are acts concerned with sex, a particular ethnic group, or gender. Other off-color topics include violence, particularly domestic abuse; excessive swearing or profanity; "toilet humour"; national superiority or inferiority, dead baby jokes, pedophilic content, and any other topics generally considered impolite or indecent."

Related Link: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-color_humor
author by Maura Harrington - Pers cappublication date Mon Dec 12, 2011 13:19author address author phone

Hello Patch,

Bogwatcher didn't quite answer your post with a bit about 'off-colour humour' per american definition. Shell's Begging Bowl, while having an element of that, means a lot more than that in Erris.

Its genesis, as already posted, was by way of comment on those in Erris who either took the $hell shilling or were playing footsie with $hell as quislings anywhere are wont to do. Therefore it very much 'hits the spot' here - The Chief enjoys its presence anywhere EIFA (Erris Inshore Fishermen's Association) 'fishermen' gather in the same company as their onetime paymasters; it was used to good effect at some meetings of the Funny Forum in Belmullet (the daft attempt by Eamons O Cuiv and Ryan to manufacture a 'democratic' delivery of Shell to Sea behind closed doors - didn't happen, Funny Forum now defunct; Shell to Sea still here).

As well as the local element discussed above, the bowl also comments on the FF/PD/Green and now FG/Lab mindset which continues to give away control and management of our natural resources to $hell etc without the guts or gumption to play hardball with them which is the only thing Big Oil understands. It reduces the state to the status of beggardom both in terms of mentality and fiscal (mis)management/negligence.

The Begging Bowl  may not be a thing of beauty but it is fair comment on its subject. Its place within Shell to Sea is one element of the campaign as a whole - it's carted about and set up by some people within Shell to Sea and, because we are non-hierarchical and not likely to play the 'politics of condemnation' or be prescriptive about peoples' actions these people are welcome to continue to do what they do as long as it remains effective - and it is effective!

Hope this helps.


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