Government must act now and undo Corrib gas giveaway

THE hunger strike undertaken by Maura Harrington was a frightening climax to years of non-violent protest on the part of a small community who wish to safeguard their children’s health and safety against the powerful oil companies.

The State has shamefully used its police force and navy to try to silence that protest by giving its full backing to Shell’s money-making exploits.

We are indeed a passive and downtrodden people to have allowed the State to give away our gas for absolutely nothing to these entrepreneurs and to allow the oil companies not only to take the gas for nothing but also to give back not one single cent to the Irish people after they have extracted their spoils. Instead they have attempted to buy local support by giving handouts to very deserving charities and popular sporting clubs or individuals in the area.

Ray Burke and Bertie Ahern betrayed us with their giveaway to Shell for reasons best known to themselves.

Their party, Fianna Fáil, has been re-elected to government time and again and has been performing with an arrogance typical of power-hungry parties everywhere.

They take a doubtful win, patched together after an election which they had lost, to constitute a mandate to do whatever they like. Compounding the injustice of handing over State property and rights to the oil companies, their treatment of the non-violent protesters in Rossport over the years has been disgusting and outrageous.

We have seen TV and video footage of violence used against these non-violent protesters by our gardaí and plainclothes men who might be either gardaí or Shell employees.

They have been dragged before the courts, handcuffed, and sent to jail as criminals. With the State on the side of the mighty, it was hard for the protesters and their supporters to see any way to achieve justice along that wonderful, wild beauty of the Mayo coast. It was in these circumstances that Maura Harrington undertook her drastic action. The oil companies and the Government — including Green party ministers who once inspired hope and confidence — must act now to undo the treachery of the Corrib gas giveaway by renegotiating a new and fair contract. They are the culprits who have caused the protests in Mayo.

Justin Morahan

Scholarstown Park

Rathfarnham

Dublin 16