Labour candidate has 'moved on' from Shell protest

mayo | environment | other press

Saturday April 17, 2010 14:55

by Mubara

The Shell manager who accepted the latest load of letters from objectors to the Shell project just last week turns out to be the son of a (former) Labour politician. A politician who always campaigned hard on Corrib, but on behalf of the multi-national, not his constituents.

So it was a bit of a surprise to see Jerry Cowley, wealthy Barrister and GP, and once supposedly a supporter of the Shell to Sea campaign, sign up for Labour yesterday.

Jerry Cowley at the Labour Party Conference

The Labour Party was always sending out confused signals about the Shell to Sea campaign. While "old Labour" stalwarts like Michael D Higgins and Joe Costello could always be relied on for a quote or a photo opportunity, the powerful people in the party, whose roots are often in the Workers Party, were always careful to dodge the question of the giveaway of Ireland's resources, or the right of people to object to developments which they saw as bad for their health and wellbeing.

Older readers will remember that the Workers Party never supported the Dublin Bay or Carnsore campaigns, always siding with industry and development against those who sought protect the environment.

Labour, since the takeover, has never really had much time for environmental campaigns.

The Irish Independent carries the news today- Cowley has "moved on", and now feels at home in the party that criticized the terms of the giveaway in the early 1990's, but did absolutely nothing to change them when it was their turn to share power. Could Mr Gilmore (who was, we remember, Labour's spokesman on environment and natural resources, but rarely opened his mouth on the subject of Shell) have explained the situation to him?

Or had Cowley "moved on" by himself when the electoral advantage he thought he'd gain didn't materialize?

Saturday April 17 2010

Candidate has 'moved on' from Shell protest - IRISH INDEPENDENT

FORMER Independent TD Jerry Cowley last night distanced himself from the divisive 'Shell to Sea' campaign, on his unveiling as Labour's latest election recruit, writes Aine Kerr.

read the whole article at the link:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/candidate-has-m....html