Skip to main content

Quotes

Desmond Kane

"Vodka, whiskey, wine...some champagne...but, you know, there was cases and cases and cases, obviously of it "

— Desmond Kane of OSSL speaking about the alcohol that he gave to Gardaí on behalf of Shell

John Gilligan

"It's lucky these walls are high"

— Supt. John Gilligan while unloading €35,000 worth of Shell alcohol at Belmullet Garda station in 2007

First time visitor

"This is the first time I haven't felt depressed about the state of the country in about 4 years, because at last I see some people genuinely fighting against corruption in Ireland"

— First time visitor to the area during the recent week of action

Maura Harrington

"The government has relinquished control over the offshore areas of our industry. Norway was tough regarding oil companies from the start. You now have an almost embarrassingly large pension fund. The situation for Irish communities, however, is as in Ogoniland in Nigeria - oil is a curse,”

— Maura Harrington speaking to Norwegian newspaper, Aftenbladet

Terence Conway

"The Government have clearly sent the message to Shell, ‘you can do whatever you want’.  Fortunately due to protest, the refinery remains unconnected to the gas field.  If, as Shell planned, gas had been flowing by now, we would potentially all be dealing with a gas leak and explosion.”

— Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway commenting on Shell mistakenly cutting a gas pipe

OSSL Invoice

"Remove two thirds of remaining alchohol and transport on the instruction of Mr. Conor Byrne Shell E&P Ireland to Belmullet Garda Station to meet with Chief Superintendent John Gilligan, Garda James Gill, Garda Dermot Butler - transfer alchohol to the safe keeping of the three aforementiond gentleman....

Remove the remaining alchohol from Ossl container and using an unmarked vehicle deliver the balance to Athlone town and meet on the Athlone by-pass with a Garda Superintendent Liam Grimes of the sub aqua division of An Garda Siochana pass the remaining alchohol to Superintendent Grimes"

— OSSL Invoice - which claims to have given €29,500 worth of alcohol to named Gardaí who policed Corrib protests

Margaret Sekaggya

"Investigate all allegations and reports of intimidation, harassment and surveillance in the context of the Corrib Gas dispute in a prompt and impartial manner"

— Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders making a recommendation the Government

Hugh Mackay

"The geological ingredients here are good. The fiscal terms are fantastic"

— Europa CEO Hugh Mackay on Ireland's oil and gas terms. (Europa got 2 of the licences in Pat Rabbitte's 2011 oil and gas giveaway)

Donal O'Kelly

"In the world and In the state we're living in the fulcrum [of balance] is placed very much towards the point of view of the holders of power. Why on earth should I further add to the enormous wave of PR that is in favour of Shell Corrib Gas Project, ... I don't feel any obligation to put my weight behind what I consider the existing bias."

— Donal O'Kelly on RTE after being questioned on his responsibility to give a "rounded view" of the Corrib Gas Project

"And if compulsory acquisitions are ordered against local residents, we will see for the first time in the history of the Irish state, the lands of private citizens being controlled by mercenaries under the name IRMS Security, paid for by Shell."

— Niall Harnett from Castlerea Prision in his submission to Bord Pleanala