TDs to lobby Norwegian ambassador over Rossport 5

From Wednesday...06/09/2005 - 15:22:52 www.online.ie Independent Dáil TDs today meet the Norwegian ambassador to push their case for the release of the Rossport Five opposed to a Shell gas pipeline in north Co Mayo.The Norwegian State is the biggest shareholder in Statoil, which has a 36.5% stake in the Corrib gas field.The TDs hope Truls Hanevold can make representations to Statoil to secure the release of the men.The Co Mayo landowners are spending their eighth week in Dublin’s Cloverhill Prison after being jailed for contempt of court in July.Independent TD Finian McGrath said today: “We will be asking the ambassador to use his influence with Statoil to get the injunction lifted and secure the release of the men.“There is also a Labour government in power in Norway and we will be hoping that the trade union movement can put pressure on it to uphold the rights of these five men.”The TDs, which include Dr Jerry Cowley, Tony Gregory, James Breen and Catherine Murphy, meet the ambassador at his embassy on Molesworth this afternoon.Supporters of the Rossport Five have protested outside the embassy in the past and held blockades of Statoil service stations.A small demo was also mounted outside the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan today.A protest is planned outside the Norwegian Embassy tomorrow.