ROSSPORT AT THE READY

After months of dedicated direct action and campaigning from Shell to Sea (start at SchNEWS 733), the Irish planning board, An Bord Pleanala, has given local democracy a large boot in the teeth by granting full permission for Shell to continue the Corrib Gas Project in County Mayo.

The decision was made last Thursday (20th) and has already been met with spirited opposition. Locals came out to pull up survey stakes and remove water level testing devices from the proposed pipeline route, and Bristol saw a solidarity demo close down a Shell petrol station on Monday (23rd). On Wednesday (26th) an Edinburgh Shell garage was shut down in a solidarity action. Activists painted the pumps to make them unusable and D-locked the off switch to ensure they stayed that way.

A call out has been given for anyone who ever thought about getting over to the Rossport solidarity camp to be on red alert. Shell’s construction period is 26 months, starting in March, but they could start putting in fences and cutting off areas from the public any time soon. Campaigners are asking for people to be ready any time for the first call out when Shell are about to start work, as stopping the tunnel-boring machine is a crucial chance to stop the project.

An application for an injunction on the work will be made before the 17th March, but it’s no guarantee that it will halt proceedings quick enough, so stay locked on http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.org/ for announcements or email rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com for the latest news.