Corrib protesters target Norwegian embassy

The Shell to Sea group will today bring its protest against the Corrib gas pipeline in Co Mayo to the Norwegian government.

The Shell to Sea group will today bring its protest against the Corrib gas pipeline in Co Mayo to the Norwegian government.

Last week, the group wrote a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bodevik, objecting to Statoil's shareholding in the pipeline.

Today the protesters will protest outside the Norwegian embassy in Dublin, repeating their call for Mr Bodevik to instruct the company to end its involvement in the consortium led by Shell.

A small group of protesters are expected at the lunchtime protest as the group tries to put pressure on the Norwegian government, which has received adverse publicity at home over the jailing of five men known as the "Rossport Five" for obstructing construction of the pipeline.

READ MORE

Dr Mark Garavan of Shell to Sea today said: "Holding Irish citizens in indefinite imprisonment does little for the reputation of Norway. We trust that the Norwegian government will now act honourably by ending Statoil's shameful participation and abuse of the 'Rossport Five', their families and community immediately."

The five have been in jail for over two months for refusing to commit before the High Court not interfere with construction on the nine-kilometre stretch of onshore pipe from Bellanaboy to Rossport.

Shell had sought their committal and they remain in jail despite the company later conceding part of its works did not have ministerial consent.

The Norwegian government is the majority shareholder in Statoil and protesters claim that safety standards observed by the company at home are not being applied in the Corrib gas field.

They argue the pipeline, which will carry gas from the offshore field at high pressure to an onshore refinery, poses a huge safety risk to local residents.

They say the pressure at which the gas is being channelled through the pipeline is unprecedented, and that, in the event of an explosion, residents will be killed because of the proximity of pipeline to their lands.

"As majority shareholders in Statoil, the prime minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik must instruct the ceo and board of Statoil to cease participation in an unsafe pipeline that does not have the consent of the people," Dr Garavan said.