Pipeline concessions fail to satisfy objectors

ON the Corrib gas issue, we have had some interesting developments recently.

The Minister for Energy, Noel Dempsey, ordered an independent safety review of the proposed pipeline and gave it the go-ahead subject to certain conditions which the company, we were told, was prepared to accept.

Yet some local people still said the pipeline was not safe and would never go ahead. We have talk of people going back to jail and even invoking the spirit of 1916. We even heard a Mayo TD say the jails would not be big enough to hold them all and he would be among them. What a statement from an elected legislator.

Then we had the managing director of the company say they would look at all options. Will the same problem arise on other routes? Has he thrown in the towel, or what is going on? Are Shell supposed to guarantee also that an accident, an earthquake or a tsunami will never happen.

If the pipeline is safe, has anybody the right to block it, and can people do the same with a new motorway or any other development which the Government allows? Where does the rule of law stand, and what precedent does this set? The majority of the people of Co Mayo want this project and the country needs it, especially in these uncertain times.

Brendan Cafferty

Cregg Road

Ballina

Co Mayo