13 July 2017

Energy groups behind the controversial Corrib gas field off the Mayo coast are as much €2.5 billion in the red on their investment, as Shell’s move to sell a stake to a Canadian state pension fund has left it with loss of up to €1 billion.

Shell, currently in the middle of selling up to $30 billion (€26.3 billion) of assets to cut its debt pile, has agreed to sell its 45 per cent stake to a unit of the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB).

The deal could be worth as little as €830 million to Shell but its return may rise by up to €250 million over the next eight years subject to future gas prices and the field reaching certain production targets. This would also boost the value of the other investors’ stakes in the project. read more

Barrington’s report highlighted Shell’s policy of employing former public officials, former gardaí and former journalists – “giving rise to the appearance that Shell is seeking to influence those who regulate them”.

’Lorna Siggins: 12 July 2017

Royal Dutch Shell’s proposed sale of its major share in the Corrib gas field came as little surprise to residents in Erris, Co Mayo whose views are still divided on the multibillion euro project.

After years of acrimony and protest the first delivery of gas from the field was taken in December 2015 and the project was formally opened the following month. This was some 20 years after the gas discovery was reported off the north Mayo coast.

Rossport farmer Wilie Corduff, who was one of five men jailed indefinitely over opposition to the project’s high pressure pipeline route, said the decision by Shell came “16 years too late, as the damage to the community is done”. read more

Corruption of Police by Shell

Printed below is an extract from a current submission to The Pitchford Inquiry by the Shell to Sea organisation in Ireland. As can be seen, it very much involves Shell.

The Pitchford Inquiry is investigating undercover policing activities in England and Wales. Pressure is mounting to also cover the activities of undercover British police in Ireland.

EXTRACT FROM THE SUBMISSION

Corruption of Police by Shell

In March 2013 Shell to Sea  contacted a reporter in the London-based Observer newspaper regarding a series of allegations which had appeared consistently since September 2012 on a website co-founded by John Donovan and his late father Alfred, available at www.royaldutchshellplc.com. It took from March until publication on 11 August to research and legal-proof the article written by award-winning journalist Ed Vuillamy                            (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/may/18/ed-vulliamy-ryszard-kapuscinski-award) under the heading ‘Strange tale of Shell’s pipeline battle, the Gardaí and £30,000 of booze’. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/10/shell-pipeline-protests-county-mayo  While the reportage of alcohol provision to the police came as no surprise, we find the claim made by Mr Neil Rooney of OSSL as quoted below to be, indeed, sinister: read more

By:  Shell to Sea

Open Letter to the Irish Minister of Justice, Francis Fitzgerald

Shell to Sea are calling for the Minister of Justice, Francis Fitzgerald to seek that the inquiry into the behaviour of undercover British police (entitled the Pitchford Inquiry) be extended to include the activities of undercover police in Ireland.

The Pitchford Inquiry is so far only investigating undercover policing activities in England and Wales, however the German Government, the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister, Claire Sugden have all called for the remit of the inquiry to be widen to include the activities of the undercover British police in their jurisdictions. read more

The 10th of November 2006 was chosen by the Shell to Sea campaign as a suitable day of action as it marked the anniversary of the hanging of Ken Saro Wiwa and 8 other Ogoni activists who opposed Shell in Nigeria.

In 2007, following the baton charge and other incidents in which people were injured, GSOC sought to do a “policies and practices” investigation into the policing of Shell/Corrib protests. However, the then Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan denied GSOC permission to carry out this investigation. As the 2010 Frontline report stated this created “the impression that the State does not want the Garda Síochána held properly to account over the policing of the Corrib dispute”. [2] read more

News Release – Issued by Shell to Sea – Sept 6th, 2016 – For immediate release

— Shell fined EUR1,000 while making an estimated EUR240 million in Corrib sales so far this year —

Yesterday (5th September) at Dublin District Court, Shell were fined EUR1,000 after pleading guilty to causing light and noise pollution from gas flaring at Bellanaboy refinery last New Years Eve. The prosecution was brought by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following complaints from people living around the Bellanaboy refinery.[1] read more

News Release – Issued by Shell to Sea – May 7th 2016 

Shell to Sea campaigner Maura Harrington was arrested in Belmullet on Friday afternoon and  jailed for 10 days in Mountjoy prison for the non-payment of a court fine of E300.

It is thought that the jailing relates to a 2012 protest attempting to block construction of the disputed development.

Ms. Harrington has continuously opposed the Corrib gas project due to health and safety concerns, environmental damage and the giveaway of Ireland’s natural resources to private corporations. [1]

The jailing comes on the same day as Vermillion Energy – who owns an 18.5% share in Corrib gas – released sales figures of $17million from Corrib from the first three months of 2016. [2] At this rate the Corrib partners – Shell, Statoil and Vermillion – stand to make sales of $7.35billion from Corrib over a 20 year field lifespan. [3] read more

Shell to Sea activist Maura Harrington arrested over fine

Mark Hilliard: 6 May 2016

Shell to Sea campaigner Maura Harrington has been arrested on foot of a warrant for the non-payment of a €300 court fine.

Ms Harrington, a spokesperson for the protest group, was arrested on Friday afternoon in Mayo and transported by gardaí to the Dochas women’s prison in Dublin where she is to serve a ten day sentence.

Speaking to the Irish Times, her brother Sean Harrington said he believes the offence which led to the imposition of the fine would have been a protest action at the Corrib plant in or around 2012, possibly using her car to block access to the facility. read more

Friday 6 May 2016

SHELL TO SEA campaigner Maura Harrington has been arrested in Mayo and taken to Mountjoy Prison to serve time for an unpaid fine.

It is understood she was arrested this afternoon as she left a bank in Belmullet. She was taken to Belmullet garda station and then transported to the Dóchas Centre women’s prison at Mountjoy, where she is expected to spend ten days.

The activist was convicted last year in relation to the obstruction of a tunnel-boring machine at the Shell plant in Ballinaboy. A monetary penalty of €300 was imposed as part of her sentence, but she has refused to pay it. read more

Lorna Siggins: 24 JAN 2016

The €3.5 billion Corrib gas development is due to be opened by Minister of State for Natural Resources Joe McHugh on Monday, almost 20 years after the gas discovery was reported off the north Mayo coast.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny had been earmarked for the invitation-only event, but will be at Downing Street in London. Corrib shareholders Shell, Statoil and Vermillion are hosting a plaque unveiling and lunch in Belmullet, almost 15km from the gas refinery.

While much of the town’s focus is currently on sale of the €13.7 million winning Lotto ticket in Carey’s newsagent, the project opening represents a significant milestone. read more

Peter Murtagh: 30 Dec 2015

Natural gas is flowing into the national supply grid from the Corrib gas field off Co Mayo for the first time since it was discovered in 1996.

One of six wellheads, drilled in 350m of water 84km off the west coast, was opened on Wednesday by the field developer, Shell E&P Ireland.

This started gas flowing through a 20 inch diameter off-shore pipeline to an 8.3km-long on-shore pipeline, which includes a 4.9km tunnel beneath Sruwaddacon Bay, the longest in Ireland.

It continues from there into the company’s reception terminal at Ballanaboy, near Belmullet in Co Mayo. read more

New Release – Issued by Shell to Sea – December 30th 2015 – For immediate release

—  Minister White slips consent to Shell during Christmas period —

Shell to Sea have called the granting by Alex White of consent to operate the Corrib Gas pipeline – desperate and disgraceful. Permission was granted despite Shell’s EPA consent to operate the Corrib Gas refinery currently being admitted for hearing before the High Court. [1]

Shell to Sea is of the view that Shell possibly had contractual obligations which required that Corrib gas flow before end 2015 so they once again snapped their fingers at government to do the needful – in this instance the government of ‘law and order’ has shown itself no different to Fianna Fáil. read more

Four local residents have initiated a legal challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision granting Shell E&P Ireland an INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS LICENCE P0738-03 for the Corrib gas refinery in Co Mayo.

THIS IS THE FINAL DECISION TO PUMP THE GAS

In proceedings before the High Court, four residents argue THAT the decision to grant the license is flawed and should be set aside.

The action, against the EPA and the State, has been brought by Martin and Maura Harrington, and Monica Muller and Peter Sweetman.  read more

4 December 2015

Four local residents have initiated a legal challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision granting Shell E&P Ireland an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Licence (IPPC)for the Corrib gas refinery in Co Mayo.

The EPA granted the IPPC licence for the Bellanaboy Bridge gas terminal, a gas refinery and large combustion plant designed to process 9.9 million cubic meters of natural gas per day.

When operational, the refinery will treat gas transported via a 65km pipeline from the offshore Corrib gas field before it is discharged via a pipeline into the existing Bord Gais gas network. read more

Dear John,

Interesting to read the two recent articles about Shell/Corrib on your site – Shell’s arrogance, plus their presumption of statutory and ministerial subservient compliance still reign supreme!

Shell could at least have made a cursory acknowledgement of a person’s right to recourse to law by way of Judicial Review of the two presumed consents but, once again, they would appear to know something the rest of us don’t.

I would much appreciate if you could draw your reader’s attention to a Shell to Sea petition addressed to the line Minister Alex White which asks/demands that he refuse Shell consent to operate their ‘Space Shuttle syndrome’ refinery at Ballinaboy. As this is of local, national and global significance, I hope many readers will sign it over the next two days. read more

EPA turns down oral hearing request on Corrib gas project licence

Lorna Siggins: Friday, 3 July 2015

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has turned down requests for an oral hearing into a revised licence sought by Shell E&P Ireland for the Corrib gas project in north Mayo.

The revised licence covering atmospheric and marine emissions from the Corrib gas refinery is one of the last State authorisations required before the project becomes fully operational.

Shell had received its original EPA licence in 2007, but sought a review after it agreed to a demand by Erris fishermen that “treated produced water” from the refinery be discharged out at the well head, rather than some 12 km offshore. read more

The Corrib legacy: what the protests achieved

A rerouting of the pipeline and greater public awareness of how Ireland treats its natural resources were among the positive outcomes of the Shell to Sea, campaigners say

Bríd McGarry, a Mayo landowner, and Mary Corduff, wife of jailed farmer Willie Corduff, after five Mayo farmers were jailed in 2005 for refusing to give an undertaking not to obstruct the construction of the Corrib gas pipe line. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Lorna Siggins: Monday June 29, 2015

“You’ve gone very quiet up there.” North Mayo resident Mary Corduff reckons that if she had a euro for every time she heard this remark over the past few months, her purse could be pretty full. “People think because they don’t see us on protesting on the television that we have accepted this, but we haven’t,” Corduff says, looking out of her farmhouse window towards the Corrib gas refinery several miles away. read more

Shell’s objection takes issue with aspects of nine conditions attached to the revised licence which the EPA is likely to grant. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA

Lorna Siggins: 13 May 12015

Shell E&P Ireland is author of one of eight objections submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a revised emissions licence for the Corrib gas project. Seven other valid objections to the revised licence include two requests for an oral hearing which the EPA says its board will consider “at a future date”. read more

— Shell to Sea send submission on RTE’s Public Service Statement —

12 April 2015

RTÉ – Ireland’s National Television and Radio Broadcaster

Shell to Sea have today sent in a submission to RTE as part of RTE’s public consultation on the updating of their Public Service Statement [1]. In the submission, Shell to Sea claimed that RTE had failed to inform the public in an honest and balanced manner on the Corrib Gas project.

In the submission nine examples of RTE bias over the course of the more than decade long community campaign against the Corrib Gas project were highlighted.

One of the examples given related to the so-called “Garda Rape tape” over which RTE were forced by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to issue an apology, after a news item broadcast on July 28^th 2011 was deemed by the BAI to be “inaccurate”, “unfair” and “harmful” to a Corrib campaigner. This related to Gardaí being inadvertently recorded joking about threatening to rape the two women who were in their custody. At the time of the incident the Garda Commissioner acknowleged the incident had happened and apologised for the incident occurring. Despite this RTE subsequently attempted to create the impression that the recording of the incident had been “altered” or “tampered with”. [2] read more

By John Donovan

Since 22 October 2014 I have been updating an article posing the question: “Shell being blackmailed?”

Top people at Royal Dutch Shell  have all spoken directly to a director of a former Shell “Mr Fixit” company in Ireland, OSSL, which has bombarded Shell with money demands to settle a dispute that Shell says it has already settled.

To be specific, Desmond Kane of OSSL has spoken in person to Peter Voser, Ben van Beurden, Jorma Ollila, Michiel Brandjes, Michael Crothers (and other senior people at Shell). read more

News Release – Issued by Shell to Sea

June 18th , 2014 – For immediate release

CHANGES TO OIL/GAS LICENSING TERMS ‘COSMETIC’

State continues to rely primarily on corporation tax to extract revenue

The changes to Ireland’s licensing terms for oil and gas announced by Pat Rabbitte today (18th June 2014) are cosmetic and will do little to address the State’s mismanagement of its valuable resources, according to Shell to Sea.[1]

Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington said: “These changes are cosmetic, Ireland will continue to rely almost exclusively on a tax on profits as a means of extracting revenue from the oil and gas it has given to private companies. We have seen recently how creative accounting has resulted in corporations such as Apple paying almost no tax on profits in Ireland .” [2,3] read more

Call for a Public Inquiry into the Policing of the Shell/Corrib Gas Project by the named eminent individuals and parties listed below

We support the recent demands for an inquiry into allegations of systemic Garda corruption and violence. We believe any such inquiry should include the Shell/Corrib pipeline police operation in North West Mayo. This is one of the longest running police operations in the history of the Irish state and has drawn critical attention from national and international human rights organisations1 since 2006 over the alleged violence and intimidation used by Gardaí against campaigners.

In 2007, campaigners submitted complaints en masse against the Gardaí to the newly established Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC). Out of the 111 complaints received by GSOC between May 2007 and November 2009, 78 were deemed admissible and 7 sent to the DPP. The DPP rejected prosecution in all 7 cases. The majority of campaigners have since stopped submitting complaints to GSOC. In 2010, complaints from 400 Kilcommon residents were submitted to Shell’s Belmullet office detailing the “escalating physical and psychological harassment” continuing in the area. In 2012, residents again submitted a mass complaint, this time to Mayo County Council, outlining serious grievances arising out of the project, including experiences of private security and state policing, with no result. Any inquiry into the policing of the Shell/Corrib Gas Project cannot ignore the following extract from the minutes of the Shell Committee of Managing Directors meeting held in London 22/23 July 2002:”It was noted that development of the Corrib field may be delayed until 2004 as planning consent had been refused for the terminal. The committee queried whether the Group had sufficiently well placed contacts with the Irish government and regulators. Paul Skinner undertook to explore this issue further in consultation with the Country Chairman in Ireland”. read more

“Corporations like Shell focus on what they call stakeholder buy-in, in layman’s terms this means cultivating relationships with key civil servants, political hacks, and PR teams persuading them to keep government policy tilted in favour of the industry – and not the citizen.”

Mayo Advertiser, October 18, 2013.

Shell to Sea has submitted a tender application to the Department of Energy in response to Minister Pat Rabbitte’s call for expert advice to review the generous oil and gas terms that are currently on offer to oil and gas companies.

The Shell to Sea tender undertakes to “initiate the most thorough, far-reaching inquiry yet into the fiscal regime governing resource extraction in Ireland, taking all voices into consideration and evaluating all available data”. Shell to Sea stated that it would build on the work that had been published in its in-depth 44 page report entitled Liquid Assets, in which the 69 publicly known prospects and discoveries were analysed. This report showed that energy companies estimate the potential fields could contain 21 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Shell to Sea’s tender bid is free of charge as it feels that “assisting Ireland in getting an adequate return from its own oil and gas is payment enough”. read more

Shell to Sea also gave an undertaking in the tender that it would “not be bribed, swayed or unduly influenced by the oil and gas giants”

News release – Issued by Shell to Sea
Monday 14th October 2013

SHELL TO SEA TENDER FOR OIL & GAS REVIEW

Shell to Sea have today submitted a tender application to the Department of Energy in response to Minister Pat Rabbitte’s call for expert advice to review the generous oil and gas terms that are currently on offer to oil & gas companies.[1]

The Shell to Sea tender undertakes to “initiate the most thorough, far-reaching inquiry yet into the fiscal regime governing resource extraction in Ireland, taking all voices into consideration and evaluating all available data”.  Shell to Sea stated that it would build on the work that had been published in its in-depth 44 page report entitled Liquid Assets, in which the 69 publically known prospects and discoveries were analysed. This report showed that energy companies estimate the potential fields could contain 21 billion barrels of oil equivalent. read more

We no longer believe we can have equality before the law until such time as an independent, international panel/commission has investigated the policing of the Shell/Corrib project with specific reference to policies, practices, procedures, bribery, corruption and collusion.

Eight Shell to Sea protesters due in court over public order offences

Spokespeople Maura Harrington and Terence Conway, who said the “real criminals” were Shell and numerous gardaí, are among those due to appear.

11/09/13

EIGHT SHELL TO Sea campaigners are due to appear in Belmullet District Court today, charged in relation to a number of offences during protests against the Corrib Gas Project.

Both Shell to Sea spokespeople Maura Harrington and Terence Conway are among those due to appear in court, as well as Pobail Chill Chomain spokesperson John Monaghan.

Gerry Bourke, the farmer who has provided the field for the Rossport Solidarity Camp for the last two years, is also one of the eight.

The protesters are due in court over a range of public order offences with a number of them also charged with criminal damage. read more

I am before this Court today on charges under Sections 8&9 of the Public Order Act and Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act alleged on 01 August and 03 August 2012. I request that the court direct that a nolle prosequi be entered in this instance or, failing that, that the hearing of the allegations against me be deferred until such time as an independent, international panel/commission has issued a report on the policing of the Shell/Corrib project with specific reference to practices, policies, procedures, human rights, bribery, corruption and collusion.

Spokespeople Maura Harrington and Terence Conway, who said the “real criminals” were Shell and numerous garda­, are among those due to appear.

EIGHT SHELL TO Sea campaigners are due to appear in Belmullet District Court today, charged in relation to a number of offences during protests against the Corrib Gas Project.

Both Shell to Sea spokespeople Maura Harrington and Terence Conway are among those due to appear in court, as well as Pobail Chill Chomain spokesperson John Monaghan.

Gerry Bourke, the farmer who has provided the field for the Rossport Solidarity Camp for the last two years, is also one of the eight.

The protesters are due in court over a range of public order offences with a number of them also charged with criminal damage. read more

Various statements, it claims, have been issued in recent days by Shell and the police force, and notes with dismay that neither group has yet denied the accusations, but merely pushed them away with talk of repeated internal investigations with no possibility of independence.

HEADLINE: Garda Ombudsman Admits a Complaint on alleged Delivery of Alcohol to Belmullet garda Station was Received but was Inadmissable

Created on Thursday, 22 August 2013 12:51

Today the Garda Ombudsman’s Office has admitted to Midwest News that it had received a complaint about an alleged large delivery of alcohol to the garda station in Belmullet sent to it by Shell, at Christmas 2007.

The office has indicated to RTE News on Tuesday that it was not investigating the matter because no complaint was made to it.

Today a spokesperson for the office says it should have stated that no admissible complaint was made to it about the alleged incident. read more

Superintendent appointed to examine allegations

Áine Ryan

A SENIOR garda is examining serious allegations about Belmullet gardaí accepting boxes of booze from Shell before Christmas 2007, The Mayo News can exclusively reveal. The Garda Press Office confirmed last night that ‘a garda superintendent had been appointed to examine the matter’. It declined to confirm the identity of the garda, but The Mayo News understands it is Swinford Supt Thomas Murphy and that he was appointed a month ago, despite earlier protestations from An Garda Síochána that the matter had been investigated and there was nothing to report. read more

Paul Melia – 12 August 2013

GARDAI have rejected claims that officers policing the Corrib Gas protests were given alcohol worth €35,000 by the company building the pipeline.

An oil services company has claimed it delivered the alcohol in an unmarked van to Belmullet garda station in Mayo at Christmas 2007 following instructions by Shell E&P Ltd.

And OSSL, based in Bangor Erris, also claims it was charged with providing “accommodation services” to local residents, including home improvements, tennis courts, donating kitchen appliances and paying school fees.

The company, which worked with Shell since 2002, had its contract terminated in 2010, and claims it is owed money by Shell E&P Ltd. read more

ARTICLES BY LORNA SIGGINS ABOUT THE SHELL GARDA SCANDAL PUBLISHED TODAY AUG 13, BY THE IRISH TIMES

Garda examining claims alcohol was delivered to Mayo station

Senior officer’s examination underway for over a month

Tue, Aug 13, 2013

An Garda Síochána has appointed a senior officer to examine claims a company contracted to Shell E&P Ireland delivered large quantities of alcohol to Belmullet Garda station in Mayo. The Garda Press Office confirmed to The Irish Times last night that “a superintendent has been appointed to examine the matter”.

It is understood Supt Thomas Murphy of Swinford Garda station has been instructed to contact the contractor, OSSL, in relation to a number of allegations against the force. read more

By John Donovan

The article published on Sunday in The Observer has created a firestorm of interest in Ireland with hundreds of comments posted on online discussion forums.

Many contributors make a very good point saying that the OSSL invoice posted on this website is fake. They raise legitimate concerns about its authenticity, about the VAT number and the content of the email, which looks like it has been drafted to embarrass Shell.

There is a simple answer. Call in the Garda to investigate? Why has this not already been done? Perhaps we already know the answer.
read more

In a separate incident OSSL also revealed that former Shell Ireland CEO, Terry Nolan, pressured OSSL manager Neil Rooney to change his statement to the Office of the Garda Ombudsman who were investigating an attack by the Gardaí on campaigners at Pollathomais pier which resulted in 20 people being injured. [2,3,4] Mr Rooney stated that on the 11th June 2007, Supt. Joe Gannon had told him before the attack ” I’m going to drive these fuckers into the sea “. OSSL claim that Mr Rooney was pressured by Terry Nolan to remove this quote from his final statement, telling him that “our man” (Supt. Joe Gannon) “had to be protected at all costs”. News release – Issued by Shell to Sea 

Monday 12th August 2013

BUSTED – SHELL BRIBE COPS WITH BOOZE

— Shell accused of bribing Gardaí and pressuring sub-contractor into withdrawing evidence —

It has been revealed by a former Shell subcontractor, OSSL, that they provided €35,000 worth of alcohol to the Gardaí in Christmas 2007. [1]
In a separate incident OSSL also revealed that former Shell Ireland CEO, Terry Nolan, pressured OSSL manager Neil Rooney to change his statement to the Office of the Garda Ombudsman who were investigating an attack by the Gardaí on campaigners at Pollathomais pier which resulted in 20 people being injured. [2,3,4] Mr Rooney stated that on the 11th June 2007, Supt. Joe Gannon had told him before the attack ” I’m going to drive these fuckers into the sea “. OSSL claim that Mr Rooney was pressured by Terry Nolan to remove this quote from his final statement, telling him that “our man” (Supt. Joe Gannon) “had to be protected at all costs”. [5]
OSSL claim that when Mr Rooney refused to alter his statement to the Ombudsman that Shell then began to freeze them out of work on the Corrib project and thus began the long-running dispute between them. read more

British newspaper ‘Observer’ reported €70,000 worth of alcohol delivered to force after Corrib gas clashes

Tom O’Brien: Mon, Aug 12, 2013

The Garda has said it has “no evidence” that €35,000 worth of alcohol was distributed to members of the force policing the Corrib gas pipeline works in the immediate aftermath of clashes with protesters.

Allegations that a company contracted to Shell E&P delivered large quantities of alcohol to the Garda – including a single delivery worth €35,000 to Belmullet Garda station in December 2007 – emerged in British media at the weekend. read more

Paul Melia – 12 August 2013

GARDAI have rejected claims that officers policing the Corrib Gas protests were given alcohol worth €35,000 by the company building the pipeline.

An oil services company has claimed it delivered the alcohol in an unmarked van to Belmullet garda station in Mayo at Christmas 2007 following instructions by Shell E&P Ltd.

And OSSL, based in Bangor Erris, also claims it was charged with providing “accommodation services” to local residents, including home improvements, tennis courts, donating kitchen appliances and paying school fees.

The company, which worked with Shell since 2002, had its contract terminated in 2010, and claims it is owed money by Shell E&P Ltd. read more

“The Observer asked the Garda and Gilligan specifically to deny the delivery, but no denial came, only a repeat of the prepared statement. The Observer replied that, unless a denial was received, we would presume the veracity of OSSL’s story. Silence ensued.”

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HEADLINE: Strange tale of Shell’s pipeline battle, the Garda and £60,000 worth of booze

Shell’s Corrib gas project has been delayed for years by strong resistance in County Mayo. Now claims are emerging of corporate sweeteners, including a consignment of alcohol for police after a clash with protesters

• Ed Vulliamy
• The Observer, Saturday 10 August 2013 12.57 BST

For 10 years, the Shell oil and gas behemoth has endeavoured to bring ashore a pipeline from the Atlantic into the heart-stopping beauty of Ireland‘s County Mayo seaboard. And for 10 years, local people whose ancestors farmed the land and fished the ocean have been determined to stop it.

The struggle has become an epic clash between the Goliath that is Shell, backed by the Irish police, and a group assembled around the umbrella protest group Shell to Sea, whose founder, retired primary schoolteacher Maura Harrington, says that, “thanks in no small measure to the Shell to Sea campaign, the project is 10 years behind schedule and its budget has trebled”. read more

By John Donovan

I have recently reported on the daily email bombardment of Royal Dutch Shell executives by the disgruntled former “Mr Fixit” company for Shell in Ireland: OSSL

The email below provides more information about Shell’s attempt to bully an eye witness into giving perjured evidence to an official inquiry relating to a violent confrontation with Corrib Gas Project protestors, including a leader of  the Shell to Sea campaign, Maurah Harrington.

Shell was apparently absolutely desperate to protect its man inside the Irish Police force, Superintendent Joe Gannon, one of the many Garda, including other senior officers, who accepted the pernicious hospitality of Shell.  read more

Gerry Bourke has opposed the imposition of the Corrib Gas project in his village over the past decade and has previously spoken out regarding the occupation of the area by Shell and IRMS security. Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington stated “Gerry Bourke was part of the Shell to Sea delegation which met the UN Human Rights Defenders Special Rapporteur Mrs Sekaggya last year; Mrs Sekaggya’s report delivered to the UN earlier this year was critical of the Shell/Corrib policing methods and made specific recommendations thereto. Alan Shatter and the party of ‘law and order’ chose to ignore these recommendations and so Shell and the police continue to operate here as they do in Nigeria.”

News release – Issued by Shell to Sea
Thursday 25th July 2013

AUGHOOSE FARMER ARRESTED FOR OPPOSING SHELL

Early yesterday morning, Mayo farmer Gerry Bourke was arrested by Gardaí  at his home in Aughoose, Co. Mayo.  He was held for 6 hours at Belmullet Garda station before being charged with criminal damage and trespass at Shell’s tunneling compound at Aughoose.

Mr Bourke was questioned by Garda Hugh Egan, who was previously recorded joking about raping female anti-Shell campaigners in 2011.  Garda Egan was briefly moved to Castlebar in the immediate aftermath of the recording being made public, however he remains actively involved in policing Corrib protests. [1] read more