Shell to Sea 5.30PM Mountjoy Prison to protest against the jailing of Maura Harrington for 9 months

by Gary - Dublin Shell to Sea Thu Dec 10, 2009 22:31

For immediate release.

------Dublin Shell to Sea calling protest outside Mountjoy prison at 5pm -----

Today in Belmullet District Court, Maura Harrington was sentenced to nine months suspended sentence by Judge Gerald Haughton. The charge came after an action by the local community and supported by members of Shell to Sea campaign to remove nets placed on the beach head at Glengad which is a SAC (special area of conservation) to prevent sand martins nesting on the site where Shell plan to bring the raw gas pipeline ashore.

During today's hearing Ms. Harrington refused to enter into a bond of good behavior for two years, resulting in the suspended sentence being invoked. Maura is currently on her way to Mountjoy to begin this sentence.

Giving evidence in mitigation today in Belmullet court Maura said:

"Given the continuing imposition of the proposed Corrib Gas Project, the reality at Glengad is that Justice and the Law are mutually exclusive. My reality exists in the interest of Justice, and I can live with it. You Judge, must live with your reality and that is an appalling vista."

Dublin Shell to Sea Spokesperson Caoimhe Kerins said today:

"This is another clear example of the state targeting prominent campaigners and local people who oppose this project in its' current form. The nets in question were repeatedly removed by local people, yet Maura is singled out for prosecution and jailed because she is seen as a thorn in the side of Shell who are insisting on forcing this project through against the wishes of the people living there."

She continued :

"The sentence imposed on Maura today as absolutely ridiculous considering that the cost of the actual damage done was €160. And this comes in the backdrop of Gardai today announcing that no prosecutions are to be brought in relation to the sinking of Pat O'Donnell's boat last June and also no arrests made in relation to the beating of Willie Corduff by masked men around the same period. It is clear to local people that what applies in Erris is not law and order, but Shells' law"

Dublin Shell to Sea are calling a protest outside Mountjoy to co-inside with Maura's' arrival. The purpose of the protest is to highlight the treatment of local people opposed to this project by the state who are now completely inseparable from Shell and their security company IRMS.

ENDS

by Boadicea Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:42

At great cost to herself, it seems to me that Maura Harrington is doing the ONLY thing left which might yet work: which is to publicly EXPOSE those responsible for all the crookedness and injustice in our society, particularly in our legal profession: and to keep on exposing them in public until they have nowhere left to hide, and until they are ashamed to show their faces anywhere.

As there's a huge amount of money at stake -- 5.4 trillion Euros worth of oil and gas reserves off the west coast of the Republic of Ireland alone if the report at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/90909 is correct -- and as money is extremely scarce at the present time, it's a strategy that could work: but only if enough voters wake up in time to this outrageous and completely unconstitutional (and consequently unlawful) rip-off of our State's assets.

by Chrissie Fri Dec 11, 2009 13:49

A clear signal of the Irish judiciary's regard for justice & human rights.

by bear Fri Dec 11, 2009 14:11

can you give address for letters of support to Ms Harrington?

by Fred Johnston Fri Dec 11, 2009 16:24

The sentencing of Maura Harrington and the announcement that the gardaí will no longer be investigating the sinking of the boat at Rossport by men in balaclavas tells us something about the Mugabe-style way in which the country, at one level, is being run. There is neither democracy nor freedom permitted in such circumstances. Elements of the government have sold their souls to a new enterprise, namely the curtailing of democracy in the service of multinationals, and that has already produced an armed private police force in the pay of Shell, in spite of only one legitimate police force being permitted in the country. We are now behaving like a beaten and submissive clod of earth, with one part leased out to the United States military and our gas and oil resources given away by rogue politicians to Shell Oil. How dumb can we be? We should taking to the European Court about this.

The class-war element of this is not at first apparent, save in the obvious government need to destroy the spirit of the unemployed and the less well-off by cutting into their social welfare payments and even taking money off the blind, which is a new low even for Fianna Fáil. But we should remember that Irish vessels of war were used to intimidate Rossport protestors, again in the service of Shell, and this could only have happened at the nod of a government minister. It is clear that intimidation on one hand and the loss of welfare on the other is intended to drive ordinary people into a belief that they are no longer participants in the running of Irish society, that their votes, never mind their wishes, are irrelevant. There is a new dispensation. Unless we remove Fianna Fáil from office we risk a single-party dictatorship in all but name.

by mailman Sat Dec 12, 2009 00:02

Letters and cards (and Christmas cards) should be addressed to :
Maura Harrington,
Dóchas Centre,
Mountjoy Women's Prison,
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7, IRELAND

by Free Maura Sat Dec 12, 2009 00:07

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has called for the immediate release of Shell to Sea campaigner and Mayo resident Maura Harrington.

Harrington, a retired school teacher, was sent to Mountjoy Jail in Dublin yesterday [Thursday] after being sentenced to nine months imprisonment in a Mayo court.

The court case related to the cutting of a net beside Shell’s illegal Glengad compound, which cost around €160.

The sentence was initially suspended, but was activated when Harrington refused to sign a bond binding her to the peace, thereby restricting her right to protest against Shell.

Leeson said: “If there is one person alive today who symbolises the Twenty-Six County government’s attitude towards Irish citizens it is Maura Harrington.

“Maura has been imprisoned several times, dragged through the courts on a number of occasions, been forced to embark upon a hunger strike, assaulted by Gardaí and demonised all because of her determination to peacefully resist a Shell Oil project in her community.

“Meanwhile, the Dublin government bends over backwards to facilitate the greed of multinationals like Shell and the small minority of people in the Twenty-Six County state who own the majority of the wealth.”

Leeson continued: “Instead of jailing people like Maura Harrington, the Dublin government should be listening to her advice and taking back the natural resources that lie in the Corrib Basin. These resources belong, as of right, to the Irish people and they should be exploited for their benefit.

“Maura Harrington is guilty of no crime – she should be released immediately. It would make more sense to reserve her prison cell for one of the government ministers who are currently carrying out anti-social attacks on working class communities across the state.”

by Patriot Sat Dec 12, 2009 01:32

Do the Irish people on the whole deserve all your sacrifice Maura? They don't seem all that bothered about shell, the complete impunity of the gardai and court in belmullet and the indifference of most of the politicians on the matter and the general sham that passes for democracy on this island now.

Perhaps they deserve the hell that shell will bring. Whatever, there's no sign of most of them. With a few notable exceptions, they are probably all in watching america's got talent or xfactor and talking about how the french handled the football while drinking lots of soon to be cheaper alcohol and thinking about what useless crap they should buy for xmas, and taking the cuts cynically meted out to the weakest in our society (which will in total just about nicely pay for anglo irish bank's next pointless 2 billion bailout ) with hardly a murmur. Just as their government would like.

Happy xmas and solidarity Maura. Lately, More and more, I'm embarrassed to be Irish (or is it idiot american? I get confused these days!)
To me, It no longer signifies courage. It signifies cowardice and stupidity.

by Michael Gallagher Sat Dec 12, 2009 01:47

.

by eco - joe Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:52

"It would make more sense to reserve her prison cell for one of the government ministers who are currently carrying out anti-social attacks on working class communities across the state.”

It certainly would be a good idea. Is there any way her case could be bought to the european court of human rights? Not going to get justice in this convert dictatorship country.

by Mick Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:50

wait a poxy second, she got nine months for cutting a fecking net? that's a fecking disgrace!

by old codger - pensioner Sat Dec 12, 2009 17:13

It is the Fianna Fail green government that is to blame for Maura's persecution. While SHell are also to blame they are not the people in controll of the judiciary and Gardai. Fianna Fail are so sure that they can do anything to the Irish people, with no fear of retaliation that they will just keep abusing decent people like Maura.
IT IS TIME TO RISE UP AND MAKE THESE CRIMINALS PAY FOR THEIR TREACHERY. Untill the people grasp this unpleasant fact Maura and niall and any body that tries to stop their crimes will continue to suffer.
Maura is a heroine and she will keep on fighting while there is breath in her body. What a shame that the Irish public have not got the courage to do the same.

by lulu Sat Dec 12, 2009 17:15

She got 9 months for being a courageous & articulate speaker for Shell To Sea! Other people were present at the action, but Maura was again targeted by the Shell security force that passes for 'guardians of the peace'. Compare with sentences passed for crimes against the person (unless a rich & influential person).

by margaretta - galway shell 2 sea Sat Dec 12, 2009 17:36

Amnesty International should be approached by all Shell 2 Sea groups to take up Maura's case, an outrageous violation of her civil liberties.

by Michael G. Sat Dec 12, 2009 18:06

I agree Margaretta, Amnesty are one of many well known groups in Ireland and beyond that can put pressure on this government to release her.

It's a disgrace and an outrage, especially in the week that's in it. Paedophile priests still being cloaked by the church, a man gets a prison sentence for not having a dog licence, and this corrupt government with their criminal friends laughing at us all the way to and from the bank, and all this after giving us a hatchet budget!!

Did RTE cover this? I never heard a thing on any of their media, it was in the indo.

by Mary Sat Dec 12, 2009 21:10

Where is the coverage of this in mainstream media ?

It is all very well to say that they are all in on it including the media but their silence is as big a crime as the resources giveaway and the human rights abuses being meted out to the community .

Nothing on RTE or IR Times, the latter via Lorna Siggins tilted the balance slightly for shell to sea but even that seems to have nosedived and shell spin is being treated with full credibility by that organ.

But now we have an almost total lockdown on reporting of jailings arising from Rossport.

Can no one do anything about this ?

by Ernie Sat Dec 12, 2009 23:51

Maura Harrington goes to jail while highly-placed accessories after the acts of pedophile abuse stay uncharged. The 'liberal' journalists write strong sermons against corruption in business, the church and politics - but overlook the corrupt political act of selling our natural gas resources for a mess of pottage. Everywhere in Ireland we see disparity of treatment and imbalance of media coverage. This country is unbalanced.

by Fred Johnston Sun Dec 13, 2009 13:42

Save from one or two enterprising journalists, often stuck in papers for 'balance', the Irish media are pro-government and pro-Right; that means pro-Big Business and in this case, Shell. It has long since been media policy to demonise Shell protestors, as it is increasingly to demonise anyone who protests against the methods or philosophies of the Right. We do not have a free media here and we should begin to realise that.

by Fred Johnston Sun Dec 13, 2009 18:58

I have sent the following to Amnesty in Dublin. I would urge others to contact them also -

'Retired schoolteacher Maura Harrington has been jailed for 9 months in connection with her protesting at Rossport. According to Shell 2 Sea, "the court case related to the cutting of a net beside Shell’s illegal Glengad compound, which cost around €160. The sentence was initially suspended, but was activated when Harrington refused to sign a bond binding her to the peace, thereby restricting her right to protest against Shell." It seems to me that this is an attempt by the State 'pour encourager les autres,' to intimidate protestors not just at Rossport but anywhere in the Republic. This is the same State which permits rogue bankers to continue to play golf and dine lavishly and cannot take on the Catholic Church in matters concerning cover-up of clerical child sex abuse. I am asking that Amnesty look at the Harrington case and its ramifications; she appears to have been targetted quite deliberately and given an absolutely inordinate term in prison basically for excercising her right to protest. - Fred Johnston'

by stevo - Galway Shell to sea Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:02

I've said before that it would be good to get a figure of how much it cost per day to incarcerate an individual. If there is such a figure as standard it could be used whenever a situation like this happened.

weighing up that figure which I believe is bound to be pretty astronomical against how much is being cut in public pay/spending might give activity like this on the state's part further perspective (bunging in a further pun about the cuts to 160Euro's worth of net that wasn't there legally anyway, may or may not be pushing things a bit far)
Think it was said that keeping somebody in jail was about 250 punts per day back around 1993 & that figure is like to have risen since.

by Malachy Steenson - Workers Party Mon Dec 14, 2009 16:34

Michael Finnegan, president of the Workers Party, has today described the nine month jail sentence imposed on Maura Harrington on Thursday 10th December as “barbaric in the extreme”.

“Maura Harrington is a community and political activist involved in a noble fight to defend her community and to ensure the safety of the families who live there, be they farmer or fisherman. She has stood up against the Shell Oil Company, one of the largest and most ruthless mutlinational companies in the world, and they have resolved to destroy her.”

“One of the most pathetic aspects of the persecution of Maura Harrington, the Rossport Five, and other activists in that area, is the craven role of the Irish state, the Irish courts system, and the Garda Siochana. Our state, our courts and our police service are constitutionally duty bound to protect the common good and to protect the rights of Irish citizens. Instead the reverse has happened. The state, the courts, the gardai have become an extension of the Shell Corporation. From the initial give-away of the Corrib gas field, to the collusion of Caoilte, the jailing of the Rossport Five, and the present jailing of Maura Harrington there has been a grossly uneven playing field”.

“It is ironic, but very relevant, that Maura Harrington began her 9-month incarceration on the very day that Shell Oil was given control of a 12.8 billion barrel oil field in Southern Iraq. Shell Oil has immense political power, and has always collaborated profitably with the CIA and the British Foreign Office. They were always prepared to “invest” money in political leaders who would be beneficial to them. Their historically malign role in Iran, and their present role in Nigeria, Latin America, and in Iraq is testament to these connections. The tragedy for Ireland, for Glengad and Rossport, and for Maura Harrington and her family is that certain Irish politicians were part of Shell’s world wide investment”.

“Once again we offer our full support to Maura Harrington and her family. We believe that the injustice that has been inflicted on North Mayo, and in particular the communities of Rossport and Glengad, must be corrected. And lastly we demand an end to the scandal of the giving-away of our natural resources. This scandal was first exposed by the Resources Study Group almost 40 years ago. Sadly in that time the scandal has worsened rather than ended”.

Ends