A protest group supporting five men jailed for contempt of a court order over the construction of the Corrib gas line across their lands in Co Mayo has said they cannot purge their contempt while Shell remains committed to building the pipeline.
Mark Garavan, of the Shell to Sea protest group, who visited so-called Rossport Five at Cloverhill
Protesters are concerned over the safety of the high-pressure pipeline, which will see unrefined gas pumped from the Corrib gas field offshore to a refinery onshore at Bellanaboy
prison in Dublin today, said they felt they had to be able to resist works which may be carried out in the future, and so could not undertake not to protest against the pipeline's construction.
Shell E&P Ireland last night said it will defer laying the offshore pipeline until next year. It said the temporary suspension "will not materially affect the project's completion schedule", and will "allow for a period of discussion and dialogue".
The company said it would use the time to address remaining public concerns and that it is fully committed to delivering the Corrib project.
Protesters, including Shell to Sea, are concerned over the safety of the high-pressure pipeline, which will see unrefined gas pumped from the Corrib gas field offshore to a refinery onshore at Bellanaboy.
"The men are not there of their own volition: Shell got the injunction, Shell put them in prison, and it's Shell that have got to get them out. The men are saying they feel the offshore suspension called by Shell should be seized on for a root and branch review of the whole project," Mr Garavan said.
"Shell should prioritise the safety issues people have over the pipeline, and Minister Dempsey should assist on this point."
Mr Garavan said the injunction should be stood down and the men released if Shell were serious about facilitating discussion over the issues.
"The men are under duress and cannot engage in discussion. No work is being done on the ground - it's hard to see why there remains an injunction," he said.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny: No work will go on on this pipeline from the reservoir to the terminal until next year,
Mayo TD and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny today called for a calm and rational debate over the future of the controversial pipeline. He welcomed the oil company's announcement deferring all work on the 75km offshore pipeline to allow discussion on the future of the €900 million project.
The Fine Gael leader did not call for the refinery to be moved offshore, as protesters in Co Mayo would like to see, because he said planning permission had already been given for an onshore operation.
But Mr Kenny said there should be no compromise whatsoever over legitimate health and safety concerns. "I'm happy that the decision made by Shell last night allows for a space and an easing of tension and an opportunity for calm, rational debate," he said.
"As was confirmed last night by Shell, if that independent international assessment does not stand up, they would walk away.
"No project is worth a human life, and no minister - I assume - is going to sign a consent if it's not safe, so I would expect that we should now have a full, open and thorough debate on all of the details of the health and safety concerns here," Mr Kenny told RTE Radio 1.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey also welcomed Shell's move last night and offered to appoint an intermediary to help the groups resolve the conflict.
Green Party energy spokesman Eamon Ryan also welcomed the postponement of the pipe laying.
"I would ask Shell that their discussions would include an honest appraisal of alternative locations for the processing plant which could remove the need for any the onshore pipeline, which is the cause of the current controversy," he said.
"One particular option that could be considered would be to locate the processing plant on a Udaras na Gaeltachta site located to the west of Belmullet on the shore of the Blacksod peninsula. The only onshore pipeline that would be required in this case would be the standard Bord Gáis grid connection which would be carrying cleaned and odourised gas, running at conventional pressures."
The men known as the Rossport Five - Micheal O'Seighin, Willie Corduff, Brendan Philbin, and brothers Vincent and Philip McGrath - have continually pledged to remain in jail until their concerns about the safety of the pipeline are addressed.
Supporters of the five have been picketing Shell-owned petrol stations and have planned to protest outside a Statoil station in Dublin later today.
Additional reporting PA