Potential embarrassment narrowly averted in Shell to Sea motion

THE Labour leadership was spared an embarrassment after party members put on hold a decision on whether to support the Shell to Sea campaign.

The campaign wants Shell to build its proposed Corrib gas terminal and pipeline offshore.

But although established as a non-violent organisation, with members drawn mainly from the local community in Erris, Shell to Sea has attracted a number of confrontational activists who have clashed with gardaí. A number of Labour supporters have backed the Shell to Sea campaign, particularly members of Labour Youth. But the leadership has never associated itself with the campaign for risk of being seen to support activity of bringing the law into disrepute.

It came on the eve of Environment Minister John Gormley issuing directions requiring Shell to restore a special area of conservation (SAC) following unauthorised works in north Mayo.

Drilling works and the installation of two boreholes were carried out last month at Glengad, a SAC, without the permission of Mr Gormley. Like Labour, the Greens in government have found themselves at odds with its membership in relation to the controversial gas facilities in north Mayo. However, party advisers will say yesterday’s order by Mr Gormley demonstrates the ministers are not ignoring the issues involved.

At this weekend’s conference, the UCD branch of Labour put forward a motion calling on the party to support “the aims of the Shell to Sea campaign”.

The motion called for “the end to the construction of the high-pressure pipeline and the relocation of the consortium’s operations to a terminal at sea”.

The conference narrowly decided to refer the motion to the national executive for further discussion.