Dublin Shell to Sea

Press Notice
Seisiún Ceoil, 2pm, Saturday 13th March 2010 at Castlerea Prison
Issued by Shell to Sea
Frances Black will join a host of musicians and singers in support of imprisoned fisherman Pat O’Donnell. The event will take place from 2pm-6pm on Saturday 13th March outside Castlerea prison, as Mr O’Donnell enters his second month in prison.
Mr. O’Donnell opposes Shell’s destruction of his traditional fishing grounds and the giveaway of Ireland’s oil and gas resources, and has upheld his legal and traditional right to fish in Broadhaven Bay. While Shell attempted to lay the offshore Corrib Gas pipeline in the summers of 2008 and 2009, Mr O’Donnell was arrested and removed from the bay on 3 occasions, but on each occasion was subsequently released without charge.
Last June Mr O’Donnell said: “Shell has no legal recourse to prevent me fishing in the waters that my family have been fishing for generations.  The only way Shell can secure the access they require to complete their work at sea is if I’m safely out of the way in prison.” 

Since then he has been convicted of minor public order offenses and imprisoned until September – when Shell plan to finish work securing the pipeline in the Bay.
Meanwhile Shell has put out a tender for construction of a 5km tunnel under Sruth Fhada Chonn estuary for the onshore Corrib Gas pipeline, despite having no planning permission.  This route was ruled out earlier by RPS consultants on environmental grounds as the estuary is a Special Area of Conservation.

ENDS