Let’s have a public inquiry into the deal between Shell and the State

The Shell to Sea protest is not going to go away. Neither is political corruption in this State. The problem with corruption is that it is going on for so long now that one of the excuses its apologists makes is the timespan.

It is in that context we should consider the fight of the people of Erris for a safer working environment.

It is important to note they are not against a gas installation, but the jackboot policy of insisting on an onshore facility rather than a safer offshore one.

There should be a public inquiry into all of the contracts made between government and oil drilling and production companies and, in particular, the present Shell/Statoil agreement.

Up to the early 1980s, the offshore drilling and production industry enjoyed a relatively good and progressive relationship between workers and employers despite many disputes. But in the late ‘80s, and all through the ‘90s, there was a change in relations with the erosion of the jobs for Irish workers.

Lucrative offshore contracts were outsourced to Scotland, although these could be written off against Irish taxes.

Coupled with the few permanent jobs we secured, all the jobs we didn’t get and the general sell-out by the State to the oil companies, is it any wonder we have the present position at Bellanaboy? Companies adopted a smug attitude to workers and local demands, and hid behind Government policy.

Workers were met with a stone wall. The Rossport Five and the people of Erris know this now. Compelling the gardaí to adopt heavy-handed tactics only exacerbates the problem. Any chance of resolving this dispute needs a critical review of the tendering process adopted in the awarding of the contract, the opening up to public gaze of the details of all the other companies’ tenders together with all correspondence, including notes, comments and safety statements. The controversial ‘sale’ of Coillte woods at Bellanaboy also needs to be investigated.

While safety is the most important question in any review, it must also be asked if any payment or contribution was made directly or indirectly to any politician or political party by Shell/Statoil or anyone on their behalf? Why was Bellanaboy chosen as the terminal site in the first place?

Finally, work should be suspended until such time as all these matters are cleared up to the satisfaction of the local people, particularly in light of the recently-published Corcoran Coyle engineering report which put forward alternative proposals for processing the raw gas.

Brendan O’Neill

24 Dundanion Court

Blackrock Road

Cork