GARDAÍ ARE investigating a number of attacks on property owned by the Shell oil company at the site where its Corrib gas pipeline will reach the shore in Co Mayo.
Two of the attacks have taken place in the past week and have involved the destruction of preparatory work for the pipeline coming on shore.
Garda sources believe those behind the attacks are motivated by their opposition to the gas pipeline. The latest incident took place on Tuesday night when netting was destroyed in Glengad, Co Mayo. Shell had placed the netting over the cliff face where the pipe will come on shore. The netting is designed to prevent birds nesting on the cliffs, which could delay or disrupt construction at the site when the project is nearing completion.
Gardaí believe those behind the attacks hope birds will nest at the site, enabling them cite wildlife conservation in their efforts to have the pipeline stopped.
On Wednesday morning it was discovered that a large portion of the netting had been torn from the cliff face.
Tuesday night's attack followed an almost identical incident last Saturday night during which the netting was torn from the cliff face.
In April arsonists almost completely destroyed the netting by setting it alight.
In another arson incident, in February, an estimated €90,000 worth of damage was caused to plastic piping and timber mats used by the main contractor on the project.
The site of the attacks of the past week at Glengad is the landfall site for the pipeline under both the original high-pressure pipeline track and a proposed amended route published by Shell E&P Ireland a fortnight ago.
News of the latest attacks comes a week after a member of the Garda Ombudsman Commission, Conor Brady, told The Irish Times those protesting against Shell's pipeline had lodged some 70 complaints with the commission alleging wrongdoing by gardaí.
The Irish Times has also learned that some 50 criminal cases are either under way or have been completed in which those opposed to the pipeline have been charged with criminal offences.
Many of the charges involve alleged public order offences during protests at Shell's sites over the past two years.