STATEMENT BY LABOUR YOUTH
Monday 23 October 2006
ATTACKS ON SHELL2SEA CAMPAIGN ARE BASELESS
Labour Youth have condemned the smear campaign underway in certain
sections of the media against the Shell2Sea campaign and demonstrations
against the construction of an onshore gas pipeline from the Corrib
field.
Labour Youth Chairperson, Graham O Maonaigh, commented, “Shell2Sea is a
broad based campaign which Labour Youth has been involved in since the
Rossport 5 called for action against the Shell pipeline that was putting
their lives and the safety of their families at serious risk.
“Over the weekend a number of baseless articles appeared in the media
attempting to discredit the protests. These are without foundation, as
is the taunt that it is a ‘Provo led’ campaign as reported in one
national daily.
“Labour Youth as part of the Shell2Sea campaign is calling for the gas
from the Corrib field to be processed offshore and not at Bellanaboy in
line with international best practice. Offshore processing will maintain
the safety of the people of Erris. There can be no compromise on safety.
“Statements from Terry Nolan, Shell’s Deputy Managing Director of the
Corrib project, that the gas from Corrib will benefit Irish people just
as projects have benefited people in Norway are hilarious to say the
least. Shell will pay no where near the amount of tax or royalties for
the gas as they do in Norway.
“The reality is that the Norwegian tax payer will benefit more from the
involvement of Statoil than the people of Erris will in the Corrib
project. The introduction of taxes of an international standard on
natural resources and royalties should then be levied on the gas from
Corrib. We will be paying the market rate either way so we should follow
international standards on safety and taxation of sas projects also.
“Labour Youth calls on the intimidation of the Erris community to end
and for construction of the highly dangerous pipe-line to cease. Shell
should process the gas at sea and not at Bellanaboy where they are
putting the lives of the people of Erris at risk.”
ENDS - For more info contact Graham O Maonaigh at gomaonaigh.bebo.com
www.LabourYouth.ie
