Stop the construction of life-threatening gas pipeline on Ireland's West Coast
Is the deal worth it for the people? Despite these being our natural resources, this leaves very little profit for the people of Ireland and is far outweighed by the risk it poses to the small thriving community in the area and their local environment.
This is an experimental project, nothing like it has been done before in the world. At the Irish Planning Board's hearing in June 2009 into this onshore pipeline route, Shell consultants admitted that, in the event of a leak, “houses within 230 metres of the pipeline could burn spontaneously from heat radiation” and that “houses within 171m would be at risk if the gas pressure was at 144 bar”, the reduced pressure level Shell was forced to retreat to by earlier protests. There are about 33 houses within this “kill zone”. Also, the pipeline would pass just 1.4 metres below fields and roads.
Waste water from the refinery would flow into Carrowmore Lake, the source of drinking water for 10,000 people in Erris (a local community in the west of Ireland).
Raw, unprocessed gas would be carried at extremely high pressure, directly from under the sea-bed, through a pipeline in an unstable bog where landslides are common.
And in what way do the Government and people of Ireland benefit from putting the life of this old, thriving community at risk? The answer is simple: Nothing. This wealth will be leaving Ireland, thanks to a deal made between the corrupt government and multinational oil companies. Minister Ray Burke (later jailed for corruption) changed the law in 1987, reducing the State’s share in our offshore oil and gas from 50% to zero and abolishing royalties. In 1992, Minister Bertie Ahern reduced the tax rate for the profits made from the sale of these resources from 50% to 25%.
In major oil/gas producing countries, the state takes an average (median) of 68% of the value of gas and oil.
So far, the community has tried protesting, one elderly woman even went on hunger strike. However, on many occasions the Irish government and police arrested people at the multinational company's requests. Protester's boats have been sunk, their fishing equipment and licensed crabpots have been illegally moved (on which their livelihood and job depends), one protester Willie Corduff was even assaulted by Shell's workers. People have been arrested on their own land for trying to stop trespassers from working on their land.
Is it too late to make a change? A lot of damage has already been done, but it is still not too late. Construction and planning is constantly being delayed due to public protests gaining ground and support, but they definitely need your support. There is a clause that allows the Minister for Energy to change the deal at any time, and cease all operations: ‘’The Minister may, for such period as the Minister deems necessary, require that specified exploration, exploitation, production or processing activities should cease…subject to conditions which the Minister may specify, in any case where the Minister is satisfied that it is desirable to do so in order to reduce the risk of injury to the person, waste of petroleum or damage to property or the environment. No claim for compensation may be made against the Minister on foot of any such requirement.’’ In fact, there is a worldwide trend of governments reclaiming ownership of privatised gas and oil reserves in their jurisdictions. In 2006 in Russia, the state-owned Gazprom took back control from Shell of the largest integrated oil and gas field in the world, Sakhalin-2, after Shell was accused of breaking environmental laws. Bolivia nationalised its entire gas industry in 2006. At first, the reactions from the corporations and international markets in both cases were furious, with dire warnings given about how the countries would suffer from lost investment. But these warnings came to nothing: in the end the oil giants simply went along with these changes when they realised there were still enormous profits to be made.
Please help our small community and sign this petition. The local economy is driven by fishing, and nobody wants to buy fish that have come from waters located on a toxic oil pipe. Also, if you are interested in our cause, please watch this documentary. It is called "Pipe Down", and one an award for the Best Feature Documentary at the Waterford Film Festival 2009. It is one hour long but it basically summarizes the issue and response from locals, you won't regret watching it.
YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE: https://vimeo.com/8668733