Legal bid to end Rossport Five pipeline stand-off
The five men were jailed for contempt of a court order relating to their protests at the site of a pipeline linked to the Corrib gas field off Co Mayo.
The case was before the High Court yesterday and was adjourned until Thursday, when new attempts are expected to be made to have the men freed.
The original court order restrained named defendants or anyone with notice of it from obstructing or interfering with the entry of Shell on to lands for the purposes of “preparation, construction and installation” of the pipeline and associated ancillary works.
The protesters submitted yesterday that ministerial consent had been given only for preparatory work, not for the construction of the pipeline itself. Shell E and P Ireland Ltd submitted it is not doing anything more than preparatory work.
Counsel for Shell said it proposed to put in a proviso that no work be carried out other than that in accordance with ministerial consent under the Gas Act.
It was indicated the protestors wanted time to consider the situation and the case was adjourned until 10am on Thursday. A number of the protestors are seeking an injunction restraining Shell from carrying out “any works of installation” on a gas pipeline through lands at Rossport, Co Mayo, unless or until such works are authorised by an appropriate consent pursuant to the provisions of the Gas Act.
That application is also expected to be before the court on Thursday Meanwhile, Willie Corrduff’s wife, Mary, said last night the men “were feeling stronger than ever and were being boosted by the support from all over the country”.
Local independent TD Dr Jerry Cowley backed the men last night amid reports more gardaí were being sent into the area. “This dispute is peaceful and I call on the Minister for Justice to stop this action. Such moves will just inflame the situation,” he said.
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