Taxpayers pay €750,000 to protect Shell workers in Corrib protest

THE taxpayers’ bill for protecting Shell workers during protests over the Corrib gas pipeline has reached almost €750,000, figures reveal.

As more protests get under way nationwide today, the figures show policing the Ballinaboy terminal in Mayo has cost nearly €750,000 for just one month.

Many garda expenses still need to be submitted. In addition, the amount does not take into account garda salary costs for securing the road to the 400-acre refinery on the Erris peninsula.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell revealed: “I have now been informed by the garda authorities that the expenditure to November 1, 2006 (since October 2), excluding basic salaries, of providing a garda presence at Ballinaboy Shell refinery is €740,755. However, not all the expense claims for that period have been lodged and processed.”

Responding to the figures, Independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley — who obtained the details under a parliamentary question this week — insisted the costs were a shame for the Government.

“The Government at this stage must be embarrassed as they are not revealing the full figures for the security at the terminal,” said Mr Cowley.

Last month, security costs were €675,639 for just over one week.

The latest policing figure, three weeks later, is expected to actually be substantially higher once the full amount of garda costs and expenses are accounted for.

Garda numbers were only recently limited during daily protests at Ballinaboy to about 50, when before more than 100 gardaí regularly were outside the terminal.

“There’s no rationale in the policing of peaceful protestors. It’s also damaging for the gardaí when they should actually be protecting communities where five year olds are shot,” added Mr Cowley, referring to the child shot in the leg in Limerick earlier this week.

Meanwhile, protests are planned today to remember Ken Saro Wiwa, the anti-Shell activist who with eight comrades was executed by the Nigerian dictatorship on November 10, 1995. Activists will gather as early as 6.30am, 500 metres from the Shell terminal in Mayo.