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October 2015

Shell profits slump after weak oil forces write-offs

By: 
Irish Times

Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday reported a sharp drop in third-quarter profits on the back of low oil prices and a hefty $8.2 billion charge which included write-offs in Alaska and Canada.

Posted Date: 
29 October 2015

Corrib on Primetime.

By: 
RTE

RTE covered Corrib Gas on Primetime on Tueday.  It can be viewed here

If you wish to see previous examples of RTE spin see here and here

Posted Date: 
28 October 2015

Finance Bill sees tax on Irish oil/gas fields rising to 55%

By: 
Arthur Beesley - Irish Times

The Government has unveiled draft laws to increase the maximum tax on oil and gas fields in Ireland to 55 per cent from 40 per cent.

A new “petroleum production tax” is cast to ensure that discoveries made under future exploration licences will lead to an increased financial return to the State and earlier than under current arrangements.

The measure is set out among other new steps in the Finance Bill, which gives legislative effect to the Budget 2016 package last week.

Posted Date: 
22 October 2015

Ireland to hike oil tax after bumper offshore licensing

By: 
Jamie Ashcroft - Proactive Investors
The Irish govenment is planning to increase taxes on future production to 55%, it comes just over a month since Ireland closed its most successful offshore licensing round
The tax rate on future production would be 55%, up from 40%
Posted Date: 
22 October 2015

Corrib controversies continue with security strike and hoax bomb call

By: 
Áine Ryan

JUST weeks before the controversial Corrib gas is due to flow, there was a one-day strike by security guards yesterday (Monday) and, in a separate development, a hoax bomb threat was made to the north west Mayo refinery over the weekend.
Security guards policing the Bellanaboy refinery held the 12-hour work stoppage yesterday because of a row over job losses. All of the security guards work for security company Senaca (formerly Irms). Seneca has said that since the construction phase of the project is almost complete, its involvement was always set to be scaled back.

Posted Date: 
20 October 2015

Corrib project at the heart of a picket again... but this time it's the workers

By: 
Caroline Crawford - Irish Independent

The controversial Shell terminal in Co Mayo was once again at the heart of a picket today, but this time it was workers at the site themselves fronting the protest.

Security guards at the gas terminal took strike action in protest at the reduced hours and job losses for 10 members of staff.

The workers are employed by security firm the Senaca Group, which is contracted by Shell E&P Ireland to work at the Bellanaboy gas line.

Posted Date: 
20 October 2015

Security staff on strike at Corrib Gas Terminal

By: 
RTE

[Shell to Sea] Best comment of the day here: "they have spent years striking protesters"

Almost 40 security staff at the Corrib Gas Terminal in north Mayo have begun industrial action in a dispute over payments and terms of employment.

Posted Date: 
19 October 2015

Ken Saro-Wiwa letters now available online

By: 
CEESA - Maynooth University

 Nigerian writer, environmental activist and indigenous rights campaigner Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed in 1995, together with 8 other activists, by the then military regime on behalf of the multinational oil companies. Saro-Wiwa's memory has been very important in Irish struggles, as the memorial to the "Ogoni Nine" at Bellanaboy, Co. Mayo testifies.

Saro-Wiwa's last letters, to Irish solidarity activist Sr Majella McCarron, were recently donated to NUI Maynooth and published in 2013 as Silence would be Treason: Last Writings of Ken Saro-Wiwa (see reviews on OpenDemocracy and Red Pepper).

The letters themselves are now available online via the Digital Repository of Ireland (search for "Saro-Wiwa"). There is also an audio archive, including interviews with Ken's brother Owens Wiwa and Sr Majella, available online here.

Posted Date: 
16 October 2015

Media and campaigners did disservice to Michael Dwyer

By: 
Michael Clifford - Irish Examiner

While questions remain over the shooting death of Michael Dwyer in Bolivia, it now appears he was wrongly portrayed as some kind of soldier of fortune, writes Michael Clifford

IN THE months after his death, Michael Dwyer was unfairly traduced across the media. Of that now, there can be little doubt.

Posted Date: 
16 October 2015

Controversial Corrib gas will flow within weeks

By: 
Aine Ryan - Mayo News

ALMOST two decades after its discovery, the Corrib Gas field  has been given its penultimate permission, an industrial emissions licence, by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The final statutory permission for the €3.6bn project is expected to be issued very soon by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White, clearing the way for the gas to flow from the Bellanaboy refinery.  

Posted Date: 
14 October 2015