Councillor Seosamh Ó Cuaig at this week's Galway Council meeting put forward a motion calling on Sheil Oil
to refine the gas at sea. The resolution also demanded that the tive men who have been jailed for attempting to prevent the building
of a gas pipeline on their land in Co Mayo, be freed.
Cllr Ó Cuaig said a recent statement from Minister NoeI Dempsey that Sheli may have breached the terms of the planning
permission cast new light on the issue. While a lot could he said about the deal reached over the gas field between Sheli and the
corrupt former government minister Ray Burke, it was clear that better deals should be reached in the future over any oil fields,
Clir Ó Cuaig said.
Cllr Dermot Connolly said the concerns of the landowners were totally legitimate. He had a gas pipeline 100 metres from his land
which had been dug up three times because of leakages. This pipeline was carrying refined gas, which was much cleaner than unrefined
gas which would be transported over the Mayo Iand.
Clir Séamus Walsh said the issue was the most important facing Galway County Council that day as it was about civil liberty and
rights. Here were "five decent lawabiding people" who were forced to take the law into their own hands because a multinational
company was not putting the fuli facts forward.
"The day that Pádraig Pearse walked out of the the GPO he was breaking the law ... when he walked in be was hreaking the law
too ... and it's on that foundation the country was founded and why twothirds of the country is now under our control," Clir Walsh
stated.
Clir Tom Reilly said he was "very, very disappointed" that support for the five men was not eoming from Mayo County Council. He said
Galway County Council should Write to their colleagues urging them to get behind the protesters.
When Clir Colm Keaveney said the Government would 'shake in its shoes' before challenging a multinational company like Sheli, Cllr
Reilly said everybody must comply with planning permission.
Denise McNamara - An Cúradh Chonnachtach: 29/7/2005
23/7/2005: Chuir an comhalta tofa Seosamh Ó Cuaig rún ós comhair cruinniú
d'Údarás na Gaeltacht poiblí ar an bhFál Carraig inné ag moladh Cúigear Ros Dumhach
atá i ngéibhinn ar son a bpoball féin. Táid sa
traidisiún fada Gaelach dóibh siúd atá sásta dul go priosúin ar son prionsabail a
dúirt sé. Chuidigh Seán Ó Tuairisc agus Séamas Breathnach leis an rún i measc baill eile.