Corrib gas field will help Ireland meet energy needs

TWO excellent letters in the Irish Examiner from Barry Walsh and Dave Elley (April 12) puts into perspective the situation regarding the Corrib gas field controversy.

That the remarks made by the gardaí were unacceptable — that much is rather obvious.

Any sane person who has heard the tapes would know that the references about “rape” were not in any way representative of how gardaí usually talk about women.

The rape issue is of course being used for manipulative purposes by S2S as a publicity-seeking stunt.

The more serious issue here is when will the gas come ashore — it should have ten years ago, but unfortunately Shell despite complying with best international practice in relation to oil and gas exploration, has had to deal with a mantra of incompetent government bureaucrats who were at the beck and call of these objectors.

This is the same genre of objectors (radicals, rent a mob etc) who in the 1970s prevented Ireland going ahead with the development of the Carnsore Point Nuclear Power Plant.

If it had been built, Ireland today would not be dependent on Middle East Oil.

The government of the day, instead of listening to the rational technical advice of nuclear engineers and scientists, listened instead to the drug-fuelled ramblings of the anti-nuclear mob.

Presently Ireland is on its economic last legs and in dire need of meeting its own energy needs, and yet is again being thwarted from bringing its own gas ashore because of the antics of a bunch of left-wing activists and thugs.

Despite all this, it is a credit that the engineering development of the Corrib gas field and onshore activities is proceeding apace, and great credit to the skills of the engineers involved, and to the gardaí in ensuring the rule of law and order at the construction site.

Pat O’Brien

Victoria Cross

Cork