Pat Rabbitte disrupted at energy conference

dublin | environment | news report

Friday August 31, 2012 00:11

by C - RSC

This morning members of Rossport Solidarity Camp disrupted Pat Rabbitte while he spoke at a conference at the Science Gallery in Dublin entitled "The Future of Energy: Dreams and Responsibilities"[1]

Banners reading "Shell's Pet Rabbit" and "Corrib is not a Dream - It's a Nightmare" were held up just as Pat Rabbitte began speaking. After the banners were forcibly removed Pat Rabbitte was challenged on ignoring his responsibilities to the community in Mayo, that are facing a daily Shell occupation.[2]

Pat Rabbitte was also challenged on his policy of continuing the giveaway of Irish oil and gas rights. In particular, on his issuing of exploration licences, just as an Oireachtas Committee were carrying out a review of Irish oil and gas terms and Providence Resources were beginning the biggest ever oil & gas drilling campaign in Ireland.[3]

Pat Rabbitte attempted to dismiss the peaceful protest by referring to the campaigners as "these people here".

Speaking at the conference local Mayo woman Mary Walsh stated "I take issue with Pat Rabbitte dismissing us, citizens as 'these people here', when he's addressing a conference organised by Notre Dame University and being addressed by Exxon Mobil. In a way, it sums up his attitude, ignore any concerns from our community in Mayo or other Irish citizens, while telling Shell and other oil companies exactly what they want to hear".

After a short time the campaigners left the conference. This is the second time in less than a week that Pat Rabbitte has been challenged on the oil and gas giveaway.[4]

[1] The Future of Energy: Dreams and Responsibilities
http://engineering.nd.edu/futureofenergy

[2] Occupation - Local resident Betty Schult
http://www.shelltosea.com/content/occupation-local-resi...chult

[3] News release: Rabbitte shows ‘contempt for democracy’ by issuing licensing options
http://www.shelltosea.com/content/news-release-rabbitte...0%98c...

[4] Arrest at Rabbitte lunch - Sunday Times
http://www.shelltosea.com/content/arrest-rabbitte-lunch

Caption: Video Id: s36qM_-LlxU Type: Youtube Video
Pat Rabbitte disrupted at energy conference

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Comments (4 of 4)

Showing our discontent

by fergalinho

Sat Sep 01, 2012 19:29

Congratulations to all involved, ye're keeping the fire of resistance burning bright. So important to demonstrate our discontent in these kinds of actions...

Energy Conference: Pat Rabbitte heckled. We need to up-date our views on Oil/Energy Ireland

by Comyn

Sun Sep 02, 2012 14:00

Our seas are our resources, our reserves. In 1973 we joined the European Union and what the EU were most impressed with were those seas....to the shelf that surrounds the Island of Ireland.

Providence Oil and prospecting takes us back to the 1980's and earlier when people like Sir Tony O'Reilly saw opportunities to locate oil offshore. The deal provided by the Government was sufficient to attract people to search for oil. Atlantic Resources, for those of us who can remember, was like the gold prospecting days in America. Everybody in Ireland seemed to talk 'if only we could find oil...what would it do for the people in Ireland'. The hopes were high and people got caught in the frenzy. O'Reilly brought Atlantic to the stock market and rumours (pre real insider trading regulation) abounded from all sources. Share prices rose and rose further. If I am correct they went as far as £6 which in the 1980's was serious money. Then the horrors came. Insufficient findings and high cost of drilling buried Atlantic shareholders into a nothingness other than a nominal few shares in a company called Providence.

2012 and here we go again. This time it is son, not Dad, and its a new run. It is good news for Ireland only if Ireland negotiates a deal similar to the way the Norwegians have orchestrated same. We in Ireland, we deserve it. It is an opportunity that comes to pass and not to pause. We need to embrace the new technology, find a suitable partner for Providence Resources (they indicate this is the preference) and we need to go forward.

Mr. Rabbitte. Get focused. I ssuggest a case back in 1950 which is still a precedent case and it concerns our reserves and how important they are to this Island of ours. The case is State v Comyn 1950.

The Energy Conference which was held Friday 31st August 2012 was chaired by Mark Ferguson, Director General SFI, a man who features much these days in the media but his expertise is not energy, yet energy is Ireland's present and future.

they are focussed...on stealing our resources

by feudal castrato

Mon Sep 03, 2012 03:23

"Rabbitte, get focussed"

He's very focussed....on his cut for facilitating the robbing of our resources.

These guys aren't completely stupid like they pretend to be when something comes to light. They go into rooms with capitalists to plan all this.

And as for Mark Ferguson getting involved in oil / gas exploration, well that is very telling indeed, judging by his own little "pump and dump" operation at Renovo netting him a nice few million.

"Pump Dump"

by Comyn - Observer

Wed Sep 05, 2012 13:13

Feudal Castrato

I love it "Pump and Dump". What imagery.

Ferguson as head of SFI should not have been there but then again, he owns many shares in Shell, like his holdings in Renovo. I would like to know did Rabbitte really know who he was sitting behind on the infamous day in question - The Energy Conference.

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Pat Rabbitte disrupted at energy conference

Comments (4 of 4)