Royal Dutch Shell Plc  .com Rotating Header Image

Irish Examiner: Pipeline controversy – Dempsey giving mixed messages

Irish Examiner: Pipeline controversy – Dempsey giving mixed messages

Wednesday 3 August 2005

The decision by the Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey, to allow Shell Ireland to commence work on the 75km pipeline, part of its development of the Corrib gasfield, will hardly do anything to defuse the ill-feeling which the company has caused locally.

It also seems somewhat ambiguous for him to order the dismantling of a section of onshore pipeline for which approval had not been given, while giving the go-ahead for the offshore section, as he did yesterday.

Local objectors have expressed their dismay at the minister’s rather belated display of authority on foot of the company’s breach in relation to the onshore pipeline. Shell E&P Ireland took it for granted that they could do undertake the work with impunity and went ahead without permission.

It is understandable the wrong message is being sent to the objectors, who staunchly support the principled stand of the Rossport Five, who still languish in jail because of their opposition to the pipeline, which will carry untreated gas underneath their land.

It is difficult to disagree with the Green Party in their bewilderment that the ministerial consent for the offshore pipeline should be given yesterday in advance, and without Mr Dempsey’s promised independent safety review of the onshore section.

The safety issue has to be resolved before this whole controversy subsides.

This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comment Rules

  • Please show respect to the opinions of others no matter how seemingly far-fetched.
  • Abusive, foul language, and/or divisive comments may be deleted without notice.
  • Each blog member is allowed limited comments, as displayed above the comment box.
  • Comments must be limited to the number of words displayed above the comment box.
  • Please limit one comment after any comment posted per post.