Dempsey receives death threats over Shell row

GARDAÍ yesterday confirmed they were investigating alleged death threats made against Marine Minister Noel Dempsey.

Mr Dempsey claimed two calls were made to his personal office in which the threats were made.

He indicated that these threats were connected to comments he made defending the action of gardaí involved in policing the Shell Corrib gas dispute in north Mayo.

An official in Mr Dempsey’s personal office gave a statement yesterday morning to local gardaí at Pearse Street Station.

A garda spokesman said officers were now looking into the matter.

“We can confirm that an investigation is underway into the threats that were received,” he said.

He declined to give any further information regarding the alleged threats, saying it would be inappropriate to do so while the investigation was ongoing.

Mr Dempsey described the threats as disturbing.

“Of course it is worrying. It’s the first time in my political career that I have received anything like that... death threats,” he said.

“I did not receive the calls, the calls came into my personal office and were reported to the gardaí immediately and the gardaí are taking them seriously.”

The phone calls were made shortly after Mr Dempsey gave a radio interview on RTÉ on Monday defending the way gardaí dealt with protests at the Shell terminal in Erris.

Mr Dempsey said in the interview that Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley appeared more reasonable than members of the Shell to Sea campaign.

He said yesterday that the threat would not influence government policy.

“It’s a thing that shouldn’t happen, it’s worrying, but it’s not going to make me change the position we’ve had on this project all along,” he said.

Dr Mark Garavan, a spokesperson for the Shell to Sea campaign, said they condemned the threats.

“I think one of the difficulties might be is that the Shell to Sea campaign is a loose campaign, it is not an organisation.

“I can assure you that, insofar as we have any knowledge of it, it has absolutely nothing to do with us,” Mr Garavan said.

Meanwhile, there was a second day of peaceful protests at Shell’s refinery site in Bellanaboy.

Workers passed by without any interference as more than 100 Shell to Sea campaigners marched from a crossroads a mile-and-a-half from the site to the main entrance.