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May 2010

Rossport Solidarity Camp June Bank Holiday Gathering

By: 
RSC

The fifth annual Rossport Solidarity June Gathering returns for another weekend jam-packed with workshops, music, family activities, discussions, and fun! The gathering is on the June Bank Holiday weekend, from the 4th-7th of June, in North Mayo.

The fight against Shell continues, and they've been put on the back foot by the decision of An Bord Pleanala which found that their plans posed 'an unacceptable risk' to health and safety. So they have to try a different route, and drill up to 80 boreholes in the Special Area of Conservation of Sruwaddacon Estuary – but they'll be met with resistance!

Kilcommon group calling for investigation into boat sinking

By: 
Marian Harrison - Western People

POBAL Chill Chomáin wants a "proper and independent investigation" into the sinking of the Iona Isle boat prior to offshore pipe-laying for the Corrib gas project last summer.

The calls come just a week after a human rights report on the Corrib saga recommended that a thorough investigation be held into an alleged assault on well-known protestor Willie Corduff.

Link: 

http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story/?trs=eygbmhqloj

Fishermen write to Castlerea governor in support of jailed Erris colleague

By: 
Marian Harrison - Western People

THE Erris Inshore Fisherman's Association has wrote to the governor of Castlerea Prison asking for Pat O'Donnell to be released.

In its letter, the group says the jailed fisherman deserves his freedom to earn a livelihood for his family during "the fishing season which is short and very much weather dependent”.

Mr O'Donnell is currently serving a seven-month prison sentence after he was found guilty of obstructing gardaí during protests against the Corrib Gas project.

Link: 

http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story/?trs=eygbmhqlau

Corrib Gas controversy - Letter to Irish Times

By: 
12 Councillors - Letter To The Irish Times

Madam, – The Front Line report into the Corrib Gas Project and related matters was criticised by Brendan Cafferty (May 4th).

We wish to draw the attention to a number of issues dealt with in the Front Line report.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2010/0512/1224270207726.html

Gulf oil spill firm to deploy rig off west coast

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

TRANSOCEAN, Swiss owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig which exploded last month in the Gulf of Mexico, is due to deploy a rig off the Irish west coast by the end of this month.

Shell EP Ireland confirmed yesterday that the semi-submersible Sedco 711 rig owned by Transocean is returning to the Corrib gas field.

The company said that Sedco was currently working in the North Sea and the rig was not expected in Irish waters until the end of this month at the earliest.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0512/1224270210354.html

Erris fishermen call for release of protester

By: 
Áine Ryan - Mayo News

THE ERRIS Inshore Fishermen’s Association (EIFA) has called on the Governor of Castlerea Prison to release one of its founding members, leading Corrib gas protestor, Pat O’Donnell.
O’Donnell, known locally as The Chief, has now spent 90 days in jail for threatening behaviour towards a garda, and willful obstruction of a peace officer. Judge Raymond Groarke imposed at seven-month sentence in Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court last February.

Link: 

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9737...

Why a ‘Breakdown in Trust’? A brief look at the Frontline Human Rights Report

By: 
Living in Rossport

Last week Frontline, a prominent Human Rights organisation released a report entitled ‘Breakdown in Trust: A Report on the Corrib gas dispute’. The report, compiled by barrister Brian Barrington, is a damning indictment of human rights abuses that have been suffered by campaigners against Shell over the last four years, and outlines a comprehensive list of recommendations to attempt to improve the situation. The strongest theme which struck this observer upon reading the report was that of the overzealous use of force against protesters by the Gardai and IRMS (security for Shell), and then a very conscious and systematic process of attempting to cover this up through false statements to the media and the compiler of the report. Does this sound like an exaggeration in the over-active imagination of a protester? Read the following, or indeed the original report, and make up your mind then.

Link: 

http://livinginrossport.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/why-a-breakdown-in-trus...

Ballinaboy locals 'hurt' by jailing of fisherman

By: 
Lorna Siggins, The Irish Times

Monday, May 10, 2010

THREE GOVERNMENT Ministers have been told the jailing of a Mayo fisherman for Corrib-gas-related offences has caused considerable “hurt” among residents who have never engaged in protests over the project.

Ballinaboy resident Jacinta Healy, who pointed out that her husband works with the project, told the Government’s North Mayo forum at the weekend that her community had been “let down” by handling of the project by both Shell EP Ireland and the Government.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0510/1224270050223.html

Protest Against Jailings at Ministers’ Corrib Gas Forum

A Shell to Sea protest took place this afternoon at the 'North-West Development Forum', held in Belmullet Co Mayo. While previous protests have highlighted that the narrow terms of reference of the forum exclude real debate on the Corrib Gas Project, today’s message was one of solidarity with imprisoned campaigners Pat O’Donnell and Niall Harnett.

Forum on Corrib gas has flaws, says Ryan

By: 
Lorna Siggins, The Irish Times

Friday, May 7, 2010

MINISTER FOR Energy Eamon Ryan has acknowledged the Government’s forum on the Corrib gas dispute “hasn’t been working as well as it should have”, but said it would continue its efforts in north Mayo.

“It hasn’t worked as informally as we’d have liked,” Mr Ryan said. “We have to see how we can initiate a bottom-up rather than top-down approach to encourage real engagement.”

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0507/1224269867084.html