August 2013

ALLEGATIONS of drink being delivered to gardaí on behalf of the Shell multinational for policing its controversial Corrib gas project at Rossport in County Mayo require statements by the Ministers for Justice and Natural Resources as well as “an independent probe to vindicate the reputations of everyone involved in granting Shell its licences from start to finish”, Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has said.

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.

British newspaper reported €35,000 worth of alcohol delivered after Corrib gas clashes

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.

Almost a year after we first broke news of the OSSL allegations against Shell, claiming it had been used by Shell EP Ireland to corrupt the Irish police (the Garda), the story has now exploded in the UK and Irish mainstream press. The Observer published a full page article yesterday and the main Irish newspapers have covered the story this morning. There are now calls for an International Independent Inquiry.