Audio of Shell To Sea Press Conference: Thurs 30th June: Kildare St. Dublin

by unison.ie Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:59

Families demand boycott of Shell and Statoil
ADVERTISEMENT

THE families of the five men jailed over their objections to a new gas pipeline in Mayo have called on the public to boycott Shell and Statoil in support of their campaign.

The three farmers and two retired teachers spent their second night in Cloverhill prison in Dublin last night after failing to give an undertaking to the High Court that they would stop breaching orders preventing them obstructing the construction of the Corrib gas pipeline.

A special Dail debate was held and there were demonstrations at the Shell depot in Rossport, Co Mayo and its oil terminal in Galway city. And three of the men are due back in court this morning on other issues relating to the pipeline.

The five men are Vincent McGrath, Philip McGrath, Willie Corduff, James Brendan Philbin and Micheál ó Seighin.

Yesterday, some family members at a press conference in Dublin called on the public to boycott Shell and Statoil (both partners in Corrib), support demonstrations at Rossport and other Shell and Statoil outlets as well as support those in jail.

They read a short statement given from the men in jail, which said: "This pipeline is unsafe by Statoil international standards. It must not pass the houses. There is an easy solution to this. Clean it (the gas) at sea."

Mary Philbin, a sister of James Brendan Philbin, said her brother was in prison because "of unrefined gas going through his front garden".

She added: "He is not against the gas going through but the fact that it is unrefined. This is a health and safety issue. It is just a few yards in front of my mother's house. And there was a generator going for two nights non-stop. There is noise pollution and a constant light shining through the bedroom window of a woman who is over 80."

Bríd Ní Sheighin, a daughter of Micheál ó Seighin, said they felt they had been sold out by the Government and agencies "supposed to protect the citizens of this country".

They asked people to picket and boycott Shell and Statoil. "We would appreciate if people would write to the prisoners of conscience in Cloverhill. And we want people to come to the High Court from 10.30am tomorrow to support the three who have been called before the courts again," said Ms Ní Sheighin.

Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL) said it regretted the High Court had to jail the men, adding that it wanted to meet with the landowners to discuss the situation.

However, its chairman Andy Pyle said that each of the individuals had "continually obstructed" Shell from carrying out preparatory work on the pipeline.

"We very much regret getting to the situation we are in today particularly as we have taken great steps over the last few months to have an open dialogue with the landowners. It's very unfortunate that they have refused to meet us."

He said various options for Corrib had been reviewed.

"We are not doing this to save money. This is the best development option for Corrib.

"It is really unfortunate that there is a small group of protestors who are not prepared to accept the decisions that are made by the authorities," he said.

"If we can enter into a dialogue with them I believe we can address their concerns," he added.

Shell confirmed it had met public representatives from Mayo at a meeting chaired by the Council for the West. "The meeting was very useful and the company agreed to consider all of the issues that arose."

Martha Kearns

by Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:09

Here are sound bytes from the sHELL conference held this afternoon 30th June 2005 in the Earl of Kildare Hotel, Dublin, Ireland.

sHELL -Press conference 30 June 05
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-action.mp3
6.7MB

Spread the word - shell's HELL has come to Ireland and we are looking like a 4th world country in terms of the corruption needed to get sHELL where they are now

sHELL- Boycott
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-boycott.mp3

sHELL- Cathleens 24 hrs
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-cathleens_24hrs.mp3

sHELL- Compulsery aquis
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-compulseryaquis.mp3

sHELL- Predence
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-dear_prudence.mp3

sHELL- Dempsey
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-dempsey.mp3

sHELL- Kenny
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-kenny_rabbitte.mp3

sHELL- Life in mayo
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-life_in_mayo.mp3

sHELL- Nigeria Ireland
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-nigeria_ireland.mp3

sHELL- No benefits
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-no_benefits.mp3

sHELL- Release the 5 now
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-release_the_5_now.mp3

sHELL- Statement in Irish
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-statement_in_irish.mp3

sHELL- Unsafe on Land
http://radio.indymedia.org/uploads/shell-unsafe_on_land.mp3

by Brid Fwded by Terry - Shell to Sea Sat Jul 02, 2005 06:41 info at shelltosea dot com

ADDRESS OF BRID NI SHEIGHIN, Primary School Principal in Ceathru Thaidhg, Erris, and daughter of imprisoned Statoil-Shell pipeline opponent Michael O’Seighin, to the Shell to Sea press conference in Kildare Street on Thursday the 30TH.

“My name is Brid Ni Sheighin and my father is in prison at the moment along with four other men because they disobeyed a high court order.

We feel that we have been sold out by our government and all the agencies that are supposed to protect the citizens of Ireland.
We need support from as many people as possible. We are being used as guinea pigs with regard to the gas pipeline coming through our village.
If Shell get away with bringing a pipe with unrefined gas inland by so many houses and across public roads this will set a precedence for similar dangerous developments across the country.

We are asking people to support the local residents in Rossport. Come, if you can, to see the reality of the situation. Come and see how close this potentially deadly pipeline is to the main road and to dwelling houses.
There is already a camp site in Rossport with people who are supporting us.

We urge the people of this country to picket and boycott Shell and Statoil; the main shareholders in this project.

We would appreciate it very much if people would write to the prisoners of conscience, or come to the Four Courts during their appearances.

Pressure needs to be put on Minister Noel Dempsey. The Minister in charge of Communications and Natural Resources. We need people to contact his department by phone, e-mail or letter. Go to his clinics.
He is the only one who can give consent to lay the high-pressure upstream pipeline. This consent cannot be given.

People can also put pressure on their local TDs and public representatives. Tell them that this pipeline is unprecedented; and we need it to be independently and scientifically assessed. We will not accept assessments of the risks carried out by one of Shell’s own companies. It must be totally independent.

10 years ago 9 innocent men were hung in Nigeria. Yesterday 5 innocent men were imprisoned in Ireland, all for standing up against the might of Shell and corrupt governments.”

by Shell 2 Sea Mon Jul 04, 2005 18:10

Eds... can you deleate previous thumbnails? Ta

by Shell 2 Sea Mon Jul 04, 2005 18:19

..