The Shell Empire in Ireland

How much money has the government spent protecting such controversial projects as the Shell Refinery in Co Mayo? At least €14.5 million. Sinn Féin Deputy, Peadar Tóibín, was compelled to ask in parliament for a full list of the Gardai expenses on the project when the Minister for Justice, Shatter, finally released the shocking figures. Cuts in education and health are quite understandable when Shell Exploration & Production (E&P) is building a gas pipeline and needs government defence for it. Most of the money was spent on overtime for Gardai.

Local Protesters, Photo: guardian.co.uk

Retrospectively, everyone regrets the costs, but this hasn’t led to questioning the rationale for the project in the first place. Why did the project need so many Gardai present at the building site? Why didn’t Shell take ownership and responsibility of the problem itself?

Instead of asking these questions, the government seems to prefer to give millions of Euros to the Gardai for travel and other expenses. A referendum would have cost less, but it is quite clear that the government is really seeking genuine solutions to the problems of the local people.     

Videos of local activists in conflict with Gardai at the Shell building site have been all over the news media lately. Pushing, screaming, discussing: the anger on the ground between the opposing parties is evident. When a construction truck at the site was pushed against activists behind a fence the situation really escalated: people jumped on the truck, held onto it, got injured, and were finally removed with the force of the police. “They got overtime for beating us,” said one activist who was part of the protest.

Shell’s plans to build a gas pipeline have ignited people’s fears that their local environment could be destroyed and pollution could lead to health problems. A five kilometre tunnel is planned to connect the pipes from the field to the gas terminal at Bellanaboy. From there the pipes are to be tied into the national network. The ongoing protests about this project have gained increasing attention when Gardai, controversially, used mass force to keep the building site clear for construction.

Shell Project, Photo: shelltosea.com

“The Sea has been very good to the community here. It has kept us going. That’s why I wouldn’t like to see it polluted,” said one of the local fisherman. In 2005, five farmers were put in jail because they stopped Shell workers from coming onto their land. The community supported the so-called “Rossport five” and kept the protest going, even though the Court decided against the farmers, placing an injunction on them. “All we had done was protect our homes, our families, our land, our neighbours,” said one of the five jailed. “We only got out of jail because Shell got negative publicity,” he continued.

The Mayo County councillor, Gerry Coyle, speaking about the site of the new Shell project, commented: “I think it is the most monitored site I was ever in. If I would think it would pollute the drinking water I would be down there protesting myself.” He described the flourishing economy of the area and all the jobs that have been created through Shell’s project, but added: “No one wants to see damage to the environment for the sake of jobs.”

Michael Crothers, Shell’s Managing Director, said that there will be 700 direct and 750 indirect jobs created by the time the project is completed in 2014. Furthermore, he added that €4.4 billion will be contributed to the Republic’s economy and the gas pipeline will provide 60 per cent of the natural gas in Ireland.

The “Shell to Sea” campaign is the biggest protest movement in Rossport. People representing a broad spectrum of ages, heritages and professions are protesting against the project being built on shore. “This is different from the pipes I usually drive over every day and don’t give a thought about it. Here if it leaks, it might explode, what is a scary thought,” said Diane Amber who is one of the activists.

A lot of energy has been lost in the defence of this  project. The government’s financial resources could have been invested in better ways and, psychologically, exhaustion, anger and frustration are common feelings on both sides of the debate.

Gardai and Protester, Photo: keithheneghanphoto.photoshelter.com

Colin Joyce who works for Shell Ireland explained that it is only a small-medium sized gas field and the pipeline would only travel nine kilometers on land from Rossport. The gas refinery could not be built in the sea because workers could only access the site via helicopter.

However, the arguments on the other side continue to build. “They didn’t ask us,” commented Willie Corduff, another local farmer. Corduff added that Shell workers at least have the free will to go to the site, whereas people from the village cannot choose if they want to take the risk and live above the gas pipelines. Furthermore, he claimed that Ireland’s natural resourses are not only used for Ireland but are exported to other countries. 

“It’s going to cause pollution and it has caused pollution already,” commented Eoin O'Leidhin, Shell to Sea activist. The local people in Co Mayo are scared of the consequences of the gas project and fear that they will have to move away. Rossport could turn into a place where there is no recession but where no one wants to live any more.

The project is good for Shell’s business and Ireland’s economy but harmful to the landscape and the people living in the area. Therefore, the Gardai expenses are far too high to be paid by the public. It’s not too late to raise that issue.