SF Take Boycott Shell Campaign to Dublin City Council

dublin | anti-capitalism | press release Monday July 04, 2005 14:34 by Sinn Féin

Following the discovery at the weekend of Dublin City Council's refueling contract with Shell Oil, Sinn Féin aim to maximise pressure by terminating the Council's contract.

Sinn Féin on Dublin City Council will tonight call on other parties to support an emergency motion demanding that the Council terminate its contract with Shell Oil with immediate effect. The motion is in response to the imprisonment of five Mayo men last week by the High Court.

Deputy Group Leader and South East Inner City councillor Daithí Doolan said: “These men are in prison for standing up for their community in resisting efforts to bring a potentially lethal high-pressure gas pipeline through their lands. The support for their actions throughout Ireland has been incredible. Ógra Shinn Féin pickets on Statoil stations last week reported an unprecedented groundswell of support for this small community standing up to a massive corporation with an atrocious human rights record.

“Sinn Féin, along with other parties and individuals, has called for the immediate release of the Rossport Five but the reality is that it is only when political and economic pressure is brought to bear on corporations like this that anything can be achieved. As a result we are demanding that the Council stand with these five men and the Rossport community by terminating its contract with Shell Oil and we look forward to cross-party support on the issue.” ENDS

Text of motion:

This City Council supports the people of Rossport, Co. Mayo in their campaign against Shell Oil & Statoil's laying of a dangerous pipe line in such close proximity to their homes. In light of the court action taken by the these companies and the resulting imprisonment of the 5 land owners, we are calling on this City Council to terminate the City's contract with Shell Oil with immediate effect