Irish Times: Mayo gas pipeline controversy: “Shell now tells us it has been meticulous in observing environmental regulations. Would this be the same Shell oil giant which has removed billions of dollars worth of oil from the Niger delta while flouting environmental regulations for decades?: Thursday, July 28, 2005
Madam, - Shell now tells us it has been meticulous in observing environmental regulations. Would this be the same Shell oil giant which has removed billions of dollars worth of oil from the Niger delta while flouting environmental regulations for decades?
Despite international criticism Shell has yet to be held accountable for its environmental record in Nigeria. Only last month it announced a postponement of its repeated promise to end gas-flaring there.
What evidence is there that Shell can be trusted in Ireland? Royal Dutch Shell posted record profits of $5,548,000,000 in the first quarter of this year while the people of the Niger delta still experience poverty and environmental destruction? Rossport is right to say "No". - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GREHAN,
Glenavy Park,
Dublin 6W.
A chara, - Tony Allwright's attempt at a rebuke (July 26th) to Rachel Tubridy's earlier letter states that he would be agreeable to having a high-pressure gas pipeline going through his garden if it met the "appropriate international safety standards" and provided he received "lucrative compensation". Paradoxically this justifies the objections voiced by the Rossport five and the local community. Firstly there are no "appropriate international safety standards" to adhere to as the proposed pipeline which would bring unrefined gas on-shore is unprecedented. Mr Allwright's use of the word "lucrative" is telling, suggesting that he would accept infrastructure development only if he could profit from it. On the contrary the Rossport five have shown that they are not prepared to place a price on the health and safety of their families and local community. They have repeatedly stated that they would have no objections to a standard gas pipeline, with the gas being refined off shore - no price tag attached. - Is mise,
THOMAS McANDREW,
Termon Abbey,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
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