Royal Dutch Shell Plc  .com Rotating Header Image

Garda Ombudsman to investigate Shell alcohol allegations

Screen Shot 2013-09-04 at 13.49.26The commission confirmed to The Irish Times it had “received material” from the Garda Síochána relating to the allegations, which was forwarded to it under section 85 of the Garda Síochána Act. “Following consideration of that material, GSOC is now investigating the matter,” it said yesterday. It is understood that the material was forwarded to the ombudsman by Garda Supt Thomas Murphy of Swinford station, who was tasked with a second Garda examination of the allegations by contractor OSSL.

Screen Shot 2013-06-26 at 14.03.08

Lorna Siggins: Wed, Oct 23, 2013

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has initiated an investigation into allegations that a former contractor supplied alcohol on behalf of Shell E&P Ireland to Belmullet Garda station in Co Mayo at the height of the Corrib gas project dispute.

The commission confirmed to The Irish Times it had “received material” from the Garda Síochána relating to the allegations, which was forwarded to it under section 85 of the Garda Síochána Act.

“Following consideration of that material, GSOC is now investigating the matter,” it said yesterday.

It is understood that the material was forwarded to the ombudsman by Garda Supt Thomas Murphy of Swinford station, who was tasked with a second Garda examination of the allegations by contractor OSSL.

Shell E&P Ireland has said it “welcomes the Garda examination into the OSSL allegations and is aware that Supt Murphy has referred his findings to GSOC”.

OSSL, which was employed by Shell from 2005 to 2010 to provide services to the Corrib gas project, has also said it is “delighted” with the development.

Its managing director Des Kane claimed the company is owed €43,000 for the delivery of €29,500 worth of alcohol to Belmullet Garda station in December 2007.

The ombudsman’s options included opening an investigation into formal complaints made by those directly affected or initiating a public interest inquiry, as it did in April 2011 when gardaí were recorded making jokes about threatening to deport and rape one of two women involved in a Corrib gas protest.

The alleged delivery was undertaken six months after one of the most fractious protests in the Corrib gas dispute, at Pollathomas pier, which resulted in a number of injuries, a Garda Ombudsman investigation and a recommendation that a senior garda be disciplined for his handling of the situation.

OSSL claims it had previously delivered smaller quantities of alcohol to the station in December 2005 and December 2006. Shell “unequivocally rejects” the allegations, for which it says there is no evidence.

SOURCE

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.