May 2012

It’s official. The terms at which we give away rights to potential offshore oil and gas reserves are far too generous. That was the unanimous conclusion of an Oireachtas committee that included 12 TDs and senators from Government parties and nine from the opposition. They want far tougher terms applied to all new licences. By implication, they fault minister Pat Rabbitte for rushing to issue offshore option rights last year covering the most favourable areas off the west coast.

Impatient: Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte was in a hurry

The recipient oil companies can convert those options into exploration and production licences that will be subject to the current licensing terms – terms deemed wholly inadequate by the Oireachtas Committee, confirming the long-held view of many commentators.

[Shell to Sea] - Click here to see the video including Shell to Sea campaigners at protests for the Shell AGM in London

TENSIONS about the controversial Corrib gas project took a new twist recently when security personnel came to blows in a Belmullet hotel in the early hours of the morning of Saturday, May 12 .
The two men at the centre of the row have been suspended, by their employer IRMS (Integrated Risk Management Services) pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The Mayo News understands the brawl occurred after the security personnel had spent the night drinking at a local pub and returned to the hotel, where they continued to drink in a bedroom. 

Mayo: A north Mayo farmer who recently offered a camp site to opponents of the Corrib gas project has been issued with an enforcement notice alleging planning breaches by Mayo County Council.

Mayo county secretary John Condon confirmed yesterday that the notice had been issued under the Planning and Development Act 2000 as the “first stage” in legal proceedings. If no action was taken, penalties could be imposed by a court, Mr Condon said. Possible penalties range from fines of over €12,000 to two years in prison.