Report: Day of Solidarity in Mayo

mayo | environment | news report Wednesday April 04, 2012 16:05 by Rossport Solidarity Camp

Shell cancel Corrib haulage due to solidarity protest

On friday the 30th of March at 6.45am 30 campaigners took to the roads at Aghoos, County Mayo, in solidarity with the local community in Kilcommon parish opposed to Shell's Corrib gas project. As with previous days of solidarity, Shell called off all haulage to both Aghoos and Glengad construction sites for the onshore Corrib gas pipeline.

The day of solidarity came two weeks after a mass community complaint letter about the Corrib gas project was signed by 112 local residents and sent to all political parties, ministers, councillors, An Garda Síochána, the Private Security Authority, and several environmental and human rights organisations. Part of the letter objects to the disruption caused to the community by Shell's haulage of materials to and from the Glengad construction site.

Commenting at the protest, local resident Gerry O'Malley said: "Yesterday evening the Gardaí stopped a school bus full of children on the way home from school and ordered the driver to reverse back up the hill at Glengad to make way for a convoy of Shell haulage lorries."

He continued:" The day of solidarity is the only day of peace we get around here. It's the only day people can go to work, farmers can tend to their sheep and our children can travel to and from school without fear of obstruction by Shell and the Gardaí. We used to have this peace everyday before Shell invaded the community."

Local resident and Shell to Sea spokesperson Terrence Conway commented: "The gas leak in the North Sea highlights why refineries should not be placed in the middle of communities. We know from the last oral hearing that Shell still intend to use pipes that have been rusting away for years in storage in Killybegs. What would happen if a similar leak were to happen here? - Evacuate the community? "

Shell are planning to put a high pressure gas pipe under Sruwaddacon Bay, between the Aghoos and Glengad sites, in order to connect to the Corrib Gas field. Local campaigners have long demanded that the gas should be processed at sea. The struggle continues and visitors are welcome at the permanent Solidarity Camp in Aghoos at any time.