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June 2014

Film-making, fishing frontiers and coastal communities

By: 
Áine Ryan - Mayo News

Film-maker Richie O’Donnell switches his attention from the Corrib Gas controversy to the battle for fishing rights in Irish waters

Posted Date: 
25 June 2014

Changes to oil and gas licensing terms are ‘cosmetic’ — Shell to Sea

By: 
Colm Gannon - Galway Advertiser

The announcement by Minister for Natural Resources Fergus O’Dowd this week of the details of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Oil and Gas Exploration licensing round were described as ‘cosmetic’ by Shell to Sea this week.

Posted Date: 
22 June 2014

Finally, a first tiny step on the way to owning our oil

By: 
Eddie Hobbs - Sunday Independent
A new report recommends that Ireland must examine production sharing, writes Eddie Hobbs
 
'THE impact of what happened today will halve exploration activity for the next five years and I can tell you as Gospel, because we spent the last six years in the farm-out market." David Horgan, CEO Petrel Resources, Wednesday, on TV3's Tonight with Ivan Yates.
 
Posted Date: 
22 June 2014

Joint call for inquiry into Corrib policing

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

Politicians, journalists and social justice campaigners among petition signatories

Social justice campaigner Fr Peter McVerry, Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke, four TDs, one Senator and seven academics are signatories to a petition for an independent inquiry into policing of the north Mayo Shell/Corrib gas dispute.

Transparency International chief executive John Devitt, Garda whistleblower John Wilson, former UN assistant secretary general Denis Halliday and film-maker Lelia Doolan have also signed the petition, supported by five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and 31 public figures.

The petition to Government notes that the UN Human Rights Commission, South African archbishop Desmond Tutu and NGOs including Amnesty International, Frontline, Table and Global Community Monitor have already issued similar calls.

Posted Date: 
20 June 2014

News Release: Changes to Oil & Gas Licensing terms 'cosmetic'‏

News Release - Issued by Shell to Sea - June 18th , 2014

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]

Ireland will receive more taxes from oil and gas exploration under new terms

By: 
Nicky Ryan - TheJournal.ie

However, it has been criticised for ‘not going far enough’, with tax increases falling short of what was recommended by an Oireachtas committee.

NEW GUIDELINES FOR oil and gas exploration off Ireland are hoped to attract more industry to the sector.

It will also see an increase in the State’s share of any profits from extraction, but falls short of what was recommended by an Oireachtas committee and has been described as “cosmetic”.

Posted Date: 
18 June 2014

New oil exploration licences will increase State income

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

Minister for Communications says terms for production of energy resources in Irish waters will include annual royalty

New fiscal terms for oil and gas exploration and production in Irish waters will increase the maximum “State take” from 40 per cent to 55 per cent and will include an annual royalty, Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte has announced.

Posted Date: 
18 June 2014

New tax regime unveiled for offshore oil and gas exploration

By: 
Irish Examiner

Ireland’s tax regime for oil and gas exploration is to be reformed, with future discoveries taxed according to their scale and value.

Under the reform, a maximum rate of 55% will be charged on the most profitable fields discovered under new licences – up from a top level of 40% under a system set up in 1987.

A fitness-for-purpose report on offshore exploration and its value to the state - accepted by the Government – urged new levies on a field-by-field basis with the rate varying according to profitability.

Posted Date: 
18 June 2014

Leaders Questions - Policing of the Shell/Corrib project

By: 
Clare Daly - TD

Clare Daly raises the question on the need for an independent inquiry into policing in the Corrib.

[Shell to Sea] In his totally pro-Shell reply (he again says the past mistakes were the fault of Enterprise Energy), Enda Kenny states that “Imported serial protestors caused the trouble,”. The Taoiseach claimed that some of the group had travelled from abroad to “give vent to their professional hysterical screeches on the road outside Rossport”.

Posted Date: 
18 June 2014

Clare Daly says gardaí at Corrib gas site are the “hired hands” of Shell

By: 
Órla Ryan - TheJournal.ie

The Taoiseach said that it was “professional” protestors who had “caused the trouble”.

Indendent TD Clare Daly has backed the call for an independent inquiry into the policing of the Corrib gas project in Co Mayo.

Posted Date: 
18 June 2014