Shell guilty of contempt

mayo | environment | news report Monday September 07, 2009 22:17 by fired_pet

Company may be sent for psychaitric report

SHell was found in contempt of a District Court order last week. The company was found by the judge to have entered common land in Rossport despite having been prohibited from doing so by a 2007 court order. Presumably the judge, when she returns to sentence the company next week, will treat them as harshly as she has treated opponents of the project to install the experimental gas pipeline in North West Mayo.

brave and impartial judge

Previously court sittings heard evidence that Shell had applied to An Bord Pleanála for a compulsory acquisition order for lands under the Gas Act 1976. This is one of the first times a private company has used compulsory acquisition law in Ireland to advance their own profits.

In advance of the compulsory acquisition, Shell had claimed that inspections of the lands were required. But back in November 2007 the court granted an order prohibiting Shell from entering the commonage until all the provisions of the Gas Act were complied with.

At a court sitting in Ballina last week, the brave and impartial Judge said the court order was specific in its terms that Shell was prohibited from entering on to common lands at Rossport until the provisions of the gas act was complied with. Nevertheless, Shell contractors had entered the lands.

The matter has been adjourned for sentencing to Westport District Court on September 17th. No doubt the Irish justice system will be as strict with the giant multi national company as it with protesters who oppose its plans.