Irish natural resources will be depleted with almost no financial gain to Ireland and its citizens. The current fiscal rates are among the lowest in the world and stand only to benefit the oil companies
The site for the planned gas processing plant is 9km inland amidst an established community in one of the most scenic areas of the country. It is also within the catchment of the primary water supply for the entire Erris region
Because of the inland location a production pipeline is required which will carry high pressure, unprocessed gas through existing communities posing unnecessary health and safety risks
The issue of local community consent has not been resolved. Recent polls show that 44% of Mayo people support off-shore processing and a further 17% want the project abandoned. 29% support the current project at Bellanaboy
 ENVIRONMENT
The emissions to the air, sea and fresh water have the potential to damage the pristine environment of North Mayo. The terminal site is surrounded by several environmentally protected areas (SACs, NHAs, SPAs) TRUST
Shell’s history to date, locally and internationally, raises serious doubt as to whether they can be a trustworthy neighbour. It is also questionable whether the government is acting in the interest of the Irish Citizen. |
1975-1987
Based on the Norwegian model, Irish terms for oil and gas exploration
required a 50% stake in any commercial find. Oil companies were also
required to pay between 8%-16% royalties and a standard corporation tax
of 50%
Sept 1987
Charles Haughey appointed Ray Burke as Minister for Energy. Ray Burke
introduced radical new terms including
- abolishing state royalties
- abolishing state stakehold in commercial finds
- abolishing state participation in oil and gas exploration
Dick Spring called this an “Act of Economic Treason”
April 1992
Bertie Ahern further improved terms for Oil companies by needlessly
reducing the corporation tax from 50% to 25% (lowest rate in the
industry worldwide). Recent investigations uncovered that he had
no bank account during this period as Minister for Finance
June 1992
The government relinquished their condition relating to the Kinsale
Gas Field, that gas is sold to an Bord Gáis at bulk discount rates.
This means that An Bord Gáis must now pay market prices for any
gas purchased on behalf of the Irish public
Both Ray Burke and Charles Haughey have since faced criminal charges by the Mahon “Payments to Politicians” tribunal
2006
Astonishingly the current Minister for Communications, Marine and
Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, has as recently as November 2006 continued
to grant exploration licences under the same overly generous terms and
conditions to oil and gas companies
Shell have been convicted in the UK,
Nigeria, USA,
South Africa, Brazil
& Canada
for:
- Environmental Damage
- Market Abuse
- Fatal Accidents
- Health & Safety Violations
Shell’s misconduct on the
current project:
- breached planning permission and were ordered to dismantle 3km of illegally constructed pipeline
- been forced to build a freshwater treatment plant after contaminating the region’s primary drinking water supply
- commenced construction on the project prior to having all licencing and planning permissions in place
- omitted vital information from their planning application regarding the emissions of raw gas to the atmosphere during the cold venting process
The proposed project in Mayo is claimed to be safe and to conform to the ”highest international standards” as have many of their previous operations, yet their convictions and history of fines would suggest otherwise
If, in the future, Shell do pollute, will we be happy with the compensation of fines over the quality of our environment?
Should we needlessly threaten our currently clean environment with possibly
irreversible consequences in order to bring gas ashore?
- Fined $1.5 billion in Nigeria for pollution damages
- Fined $49 million by the US for Natural Gas Violations
- Shell fined for Bellingham pipeline explosion
- Russia prepares fines of up to €30bn for environmental damage
AIR
Through a combination of cold venting, flaring, and general emissions
thousands of tons of environmentally damaging gasses per annum will
be released into the atmosphere above Erris. This will undoubtedly affect
the air quality in the locality and is contrary to the spirit of the
Kyoto Protocol which aims reduce the production of greenhouse gasses
FRESH WATER
The location of the processing plant in the catchment area of Erris region’s
primary water supply poses a number of major threats to the quality of the
community’s drinking water; i.e. contaminated rainfall due to air
emissions or possible contamination due to dangerous chemicals stored on
site
MARINE
The effluent from the gas processing plant will be released into the
clearest open ocean waters in Europe, just 500m outside a Marine Special
Area of Conservation and less than 3km from the nearest land. This
bay has proven to be of major significance in relation to marine life
and is home to numerous whale and dolphin species. The effluent will
contain chemicals and heavy metals.This could threaten the livlihood
of 150 currently employed in the local fishing industry.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Thousands of tons of methanol (a dangerous chemical banned in several
countries) will be “lost” to the environment during the gas
processing