Dempsey rules out intervention in pipeline dispute
With protests against the jailing taking place in Rossport and Bellanaboy, Co Mayo, in Galway and outside Leinster House, Mr Dempsey told the Dáil that he would be willing to appoint a mediator if dialogue between the multinational oil company and local protesters failed. However, he added that would be futile if the position of each side remained intractable.
The dispute centres over Shell’s decision to start preparatory work to lay pipes connecting its offshore gas fields and the processing terminal five kilometres inland in Bellanaboy, Mayo.
The five protesters - three landowners and two local teachers - were jailed on Wednesday by High Court judge John McMenamin after they refused to give undertakings not to obstruct Shell from doing groundwork on the land. They cited fears about the safety of high-pressure pipes carrying gas through their community.
The jailing of the men has led to a serious escalation of the dispute. Eleven TDs (including all five from Mayo) participated in the private members motion debate on the crisis.
Also last night a number of Mayo TDs, as well as other senior community representatives, met with executives of Shell in Dublin. But the three-hour meeting broke up without any resolution.
Mr Dempsey told the Dáil that the Corrib gas field proposal had gone through an exhaustive process. He confirmed, however, that while consent had been given for preparatory works for pipe-laying, no consent has yet been given to lay the pipes themselves.
He said the quality risk assessment (QRA) found the project conformed to international criteria.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny demanded the minister to appoint a mediator.
“Either this is safe or it is not safe. Can you give a categoric assurance to the House that pipelines carrying that level of untreated gas are safe?” he asked.
His Mayo FG colleague Michael Ring said that five innocent people were now in jail. Independent TD Beverly Flynn said there would be no resolution as long as the men remained in jail.
The Independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley said local people remained in “mortal fear of their lives”.
Andy Pyle, chairman of Shell in Ireland, said it was unfortunate that there were a few people who did not accept the decisions of due process. He added that Shell accepted that they had concerns.
Caitlin Ní Sheighín, 68, whose husband, Micheál, is one of the men in prison, said they were determined to prevent the gas from being piped across their land.
“Yesterday in court just angered me and we’re not lying down and taking this rotten gas in to be refined in Bellanaboy. It better be refined at sea,” she said.
