The Mayo News Online: Council recalled for Rossport meeting: “Meanwhile, Shell E&P Ireland Ltd announced on Monday last that they have laid off 128 staff working on the pipeline, attributing the need for the move to ongoing protests. The controversy is no nearer resolution, with the five men refusing to purge their contempt…”: Wednesday 10 August 2005

Report by Shane McGrath

THE Corrib gas controversy is to enter the chamber of Mayo Count Council again this week, with a special meeting of the authority to meet on Friday next.

The July meeting of the Council ended in confusion, when Cathaoirleach Henry Kenny ruled that a motion proposed by Cllr Tim Quinn, calling on Shell E&P Ireland Ltd to move their gas processing operations offshore, had not been adopted.

In a statement issued on Monday last, Cllr Kenny announced that a meeting will be held at 9am on Friday. "I have agreed to accept a petition signed by five members of the county council for a special meeting of the council to consider how the council might contribute to the solution ... Mindful of the fact that it is unique to hold a council meeting in August and of the fact that members may be on holidays, I am calling for the fullest possible turn out of councillors."

Speaking to The Mayo News in the aftermath of the statement, Cllr Tim Quinn confirmed he was one of the signatories. It is believed that Cllrs Johnny Mee, Michael McNamara, Frank Chambers and Michael Holmes were the others who signed the petition. "I hope this meeting helps to highlight present difficulties, and also the plight of the Rossport Five," said Cllr Quinn. "I will have a motion before the meeting calling on Shell E&P Ireland Ltd to move the gas processing offshore. I do not think the issues that arose at our July meeting will be dealt with on Friday, though, because we have to wait for the minutes of the meeting to do so."

Cllr Kenny said he intends to table a motion before the meeting also, ‘in order that we have can have a structured debate’. He also spoke out strongly on the Rossport Five issue. "No individual or group holds any monopoly on support for the five Rossport residents who have been jailed. My concern and my support for the release of the Rossport Five, as they have come to be known, is as great as any other person seeking to have the men freed."

Meanwhile, Shell E&P Ireland Ltd announced on Monday last that they have laid off 128 staff working on the pipeline, attributing the need for the move to ongoing protests. The controversy is no nearer resolution, with the five men refusing to purge their contempt. After Minister Noel Dempsey issued phase four consent for the offshore section of the pipeline last week, the company said they would suspend all work on the line until 2006 to ensure the public ‘have confidence that every reasonable step has been taken’.

http://www.mayonews.ie/current/news.tmpl$showpage?value1=33326615441226815

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