Corrib row investigator unduly critical of the gardaí

YOUR ISSUE of April 27 quoted a report from the Frontline organisation on the Corrib gas project and related matters.

The people of Mayo may not be aware of Frontline or what its functions are, so it is important that it gets its facts right, even though it has no statutory or supervisory role and its findings have no compulsion.

Some of our group, Pro-Gas Mayo, met the Frontline investigator in Mayo in October 2008. We are not surprised by the report as we got the distinct impression at that meeting that he came to it early on with his mind almost made up. We gave him examples of intimidation and actual evidence of damage to quarry-owners and business properties which gave their services to Shell, but such matters do not appear to be taken into consideration, as from a cursory reading I find he refers only to damage to a Shell fence. The report is also unduly critical of the gardaí who merely enforce the law and comments from judges at recent court sittings about thuggery, bullies and vigilante activity on behalf of Shell to Sea speaks for itself.