Rossport Resistance Steps Up A Gear

mayo | environment | feature

Sunday July 03, 2005 14:56

by Terry - Shell to Sea

info at shelltosea dot com

Refinery Construction Site Picketed; Fishermen Prepare To Blockade 'Things'; Roadside Vigil A Win

“What we intend to do on Monday, if they do not open, is picket from 6.30 p.m. to let them know that we will not be backing down. We are choosing that time for people who will be at their jobs during the day. If work resumes at the site we will start picketing at 11 a.m. The purpose of the picket is to persuade employees working at the building of the refinery to halt work, as some have done, and to show that we are not forgetting the five innocent men in Cloverhill prison.”: P.J. Moran, Ballinaboy Resident.

“WORK CONTINUES AS NORMAL AT THE COMPANY'S SITES IN MAYO” So reads the Shell press release of Friday July 1st. At the refinery site at Ballinaboy everything, mostly signs and flagmen huts, that was on the ‘oil road’ outside the site was cleared away by Shell-Statoil-Roadbridge-Sicim by 3.15pm on Friday, and inside machinery had stopped work by 3.30pm.

This morning in Rossport the truck illegally carrying pipes to the Shell-Statoil-Roadbridge-Sicim compound, which had been halted on the roadside since Tuesday the 21st of June, was removed after negotiations, and with that so ended a 12 day, 24 hours a day, roadside vigil, which highlighted the inadequacies of the developers traffic management plan, or rather its virtual non-existence. The truck left without entering the compound.

There were only security guards present in the compound this morning (Sat 2nd July) and no construction workers, it is very quiet, with the amusing addition of a massive number of ‘Keep Out’ signs. Take notice that there is a right of way through the compound. The photos below were taken from within it.

At the moment it is rumoured that work in Ballinaboy, where peat is being removed in preparation for construction proper, will be halted for two weeks.
During the two days of pickets last week, on Thursday and Friday, some workers downed tools and joined the demonstrations, while lorry loads were unable to make it through the picket lines.

Meanwhile the dredger-platforms previously in Broadhaven Bay have left and are currently off Erris head.
Local fishermen have sworn that there will be 30 to 40 fishing boats in between them and the bay should they attempt to return.

According to the Shell-Statoil-Roadbridge-Sicim schedule for building, construction was due to start on the pipeline on the 25th of February. It hasn’t. Construction of the landfall, where the off-shore pipeline comes on land, was due to start on June 1st. It hasn’t.
Due to the climatic conditions and boggy land construction of the development can only proceed during the summer months.

“We want any one who can help the Rossport 5 through legal representation, aid, advice or practical assistance to get in touch via email or a single number. Hopefully this will help to provide a direct point of contact into the heart of the Rossport residents requiring practical assistance. PLEASE ENSURE IT IS CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT AN INFORMATION HOTLINE - IT IS PRIMARILY FOR ANYONE WHO CAN PRACTICALLY ASSIST THE ROSSPORT 5 OR OUR SAFETY CONCERNS RELATING TO THE PIPELINE.” - Alan McGrath, Rossport resident and nephew of Philip and Vincent McGrath (two of those in prison). That contact is: freetherossportfive@eircom.net 087 7747885

Remember to write to the prisoners:

Willie Corduff
James Brendan Philbin
Vincent McGrath
Philip McGrath
Micheal O‘Seighin

Cloverhill Prison
Dublin 22

It is also requested that you contact Noel Dempsey, the minister with responsibility for the Corrib Gas project (last seen playing on his mobile in the Dail, Snake perhaps?, while assembled politicians asked questions about this issue)
Phone 046- 9431146 Fax 046 – 9436643 info@noeldempsey.ie
Clinic Details

Details of a bank account for donations to the campaign will be released on Monday.