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THE GARDAÍ HAVE spent over €14.5 million on the policing operation at the controversial Shell refinery project in Mayo over the last five years, it has emerged.
The figures do not include the basic salaries for Gardaí on duty at the protest site in north Mayo which means the actual cost of policing the protests is higher.
Campaigners from the Shell to Sea organisation have been protesting against the construction of the Corrib gas pipeline for the past seven years.
The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said that the €14,566,262 in additional costs incurred by the Gardaí between December 2006 and December of last year was “deeply regrettable” and described the protests as “scandalous”.
The details come from an answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibin.
The €14.5 million figure is broken down into overtime and allowances, travel and subsistence, employers PRSI, and miscellaneous expenses incurred by the Gardaí over the past five years in dealing with protesters.
The figures show that €913,729 was spent in additional costs last year. This was up from €620,326 spent in 2010 but down significantly on the 2009 figure of €3.5 million.
In 2007, nearly €5 million in additional costs were incurred by Gardaí including €2.7 million on overtime and allowances and nearly €2 million on travel and subsistence.
The protests have been notable for the sizeable Garda presence with numerous allegations from protesters that they have been assaulted including one by a Socialist Party MEP last August.
This table given in the answer by the Minister for Justice provides detail of the costs incurred:
“It is scandalous that some protesters behave in a self indulgent way that has no regard for the rights of others,” Shatter said.
“In turn, this requires the expenditure of a substantial amount of taxpayers’ money which could be devoted to far better purposes if it was not for the actions of many of those involved in the protests.”
The protests centre on the Corrib gas project which entails the extraction of natural gas off the northwest coast of Ireland by the oil company Shell.
The construction of the gas pipeline through the area at Bellinaboy in north Mayo has drawn protest from the Shell to Sea group which argues that the pipeline poses a risk to local residents.
A spokesperson for the Shell to Sea campaign told TheJournal.ie: “Again the Minister is doing what his predeccessor has done in blaming the protesters for what’s happening.
“The fact is the behaviour of the police runs contrary to the national interest,” he claimed while going on to say that there what was happening was at Bellinaboy was “blatant economic treason.”
An Garda Siochána said it would not be appropriate to comment on remarks made by the Minister for Justice.
Shatter added that it was not possible to project what future costs would be incurred by the policing operations at the Shell refinery as the level of protest activity fluctuates.
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Well done to those willing to stand up to oppression.
@Unitedpeople: Unless a majority of Spanish people vote for separation, then you’ll find it is the separatist who are attempting to oppress the will of democracy.
@MK76:
England didn’t have a say in Scotland’s independence referendum, so I don’t see how Spain should have a say in Catalonia’s.
@Thought for Food: Catalonia was never an Independent State. Scotland was. Catalonia evolved as part of the Spanish State when the Kingdoms of Aragon (which Catalonia was part of) and Castille joined to become modern Spain. Scotland was joined to England via an act of Parliament (Act of Union). And the Constitution of Spain clearly states that all of Spain is indivisible. Scotland has no such barrier as a member State within the UK. So for Catalonia to ceceed it will require a change in the Spanish Constitution which in itself would require a majority from an all Spanish vote.
@Mick Jordan: Ah Mick don’t be dazzling the lads with facts! The separatists live in one of the richest areas of Spain. They have virtual independence in all ways that matter ie their own language,, their own parliament, their own laws. They are not oppressed. They don’t want to subsidize less well off areas. Other parts of Spain are entitled to a say as well. And as far as I can see although the separatists have slightly more seat in Parliament they haven’t won a plurality of the popular vote. You cannot declare a separate nation in a region with half the population opposed. It’s insanity.
@MK76: Incorrect
@John R: spot on, there is a prevailing theme that catalans are opressed while this may have been true during francos time it is not anymore. Certain elements are pushing this narative and its purely down to greed.. what else can it be?
@MK76:
By your logic Ireland should never have got independence unless the majority in the UK voted in favour of it. Sounds fair yeah?
@Avina Laaf: Catalonia was never in its entire known history a State, Kingdom, Principality, Duchy, Earldom or even Tribal land. It was part of a larger Roman Frontier province, then part of the Kingdom of Aragon and when it joined with the Kingdom of Castille it became part of what is now modern Spain. In 1975 after Franco died and the new Spanish Constitution was drawn up Catalonia along with every other region in Spain signed it. And one part of that Constitution stated that All of Spain is indivisible. They signed this they, agreed to this, now they have to abide by it. What they can try and do is seek to change the Constitution, but that will take a nation wide referenda, just like changes to our Constitution do here.
Great news for Catalonia!
A slap in the face for the oppressive policies of Rajoy, I hope project Europe are paying attention and can now see the result of anti democratic policies and steamrolling oppression on a section of the population!
Europe can stand together as an economic market or fall asunder as an EU suprastate!
@Jarlath Murphy: It was Rajoy who called the election. That doesn’t sound like a suppression of democracy or oppression of the people. Catalans are not oppressed. Their culture is not oppressed, it flourishes. In ordinary times, they have political autonomy. The question of whether it is they alone or the entire population of Spain should vote on separation is a very sticky one. If we accept the sovereignty and the legal structure of Spain as a nation then a Catalan only vote would be contrary to that legal structure unless it was done by agreement with the central government.
@Jarlath Murphy: Jarlath, this is not an EU matter. It is a Spanish matter. The EU has not legal competence whatsoever to intervene. The EU only has the competences set down in the Treaties. This excludes areas such as internal law and order, national security and the constitutional order within a Member State. This is an exclusive matter for Spain. All your comment reveals is a complete lack of understanding of the EU and its role and competences. There is little excuse for this. It is all available on-line in easily digestible chunks. But you find it easier to post obvious falsehoods than engage in some minor research.
Finally, there is no EU “surprastate”. The overwhelming majority of things that make a difference in our daily lives and on which we vote in our national elections remain the within the control of member states. These are areas such as education, welfare, taxation, health, housing, planning etc. If you want to understand what the EU is and is not do some reading and stop blaming the EU for faults that lie elsewhere. The real irony of your comment is that if the EU interfered as you would wish then you would probably allege that it was interfering in areas it had no business in and lay allegation of being an undemocratic superstate against it!
@Jarlath Murphy: why is their leader hiding in Brussels and why do they plan to join this supposed Eurostate,if it’s so undemocratic?
@Jarlath Murphy: Please educate yourself from sources that are not the sun or youtube videos.
“The Spanish state was defeated” squawked the separatist too cowardly to accept responsibility for his own lawbreaking.
@Harry Whitehead: I’m not convinced they broke the law. I’d be sceptical of Russia’s involvement in the referendum but this election was by all means free and fair.
@Harry Whitehead: the tyrranous fascist undemocratic eu superstate will be defeated
Words you clearly don’t understand: tyrranous [sic], fascist, undemocratic, superstate.
@Darren Bates: that referendum was f
@Darren Bates: bloody app … that referendum was farcical enough – there was no need for anyone else to get involved. The lack of commentary from the Shinners onsite was worth noting as well.
@jon-boy55: “the tyrranous fascist undemocratic eu superstate will be defeated”!
Except that the issue in Spain has nothing to do with the EU, at all. It is an internal matter for Spain and the EU has no competence to interfere with the matter as long as the rule of law and the Spanish constitutional order is followed.
But like the Brexiteers who blame every British ill on the EU rather than look in the mirror of their own incompetence you construct a straw man argument to have a go at your favourite bogeyman..
For those who up-voted you, please note that the EU only has competences within the areas set down in the Treaties. That specifically excludes internal law and order and national security, the internal constitutional structure of each Member State as well as a whole range of other areas. Catalonia is not an issue on which the EU can intervene precisely because it is not a “superstate” (whatever that means) but an entity limited by Treaties and by the rule of law. This is an internal matter for Spain.
Finally, one might note that the primary nationalist movements in areas like Spain and Italy are largely in richer areas who object to the subsidisation of poorer areas within their own countries. It is really hard to construct an argument which portrays these areas as “oppressed”. Brexit was also partly driven by a desire to stop subsidising less well off regions elsewhere in the EU. Perhaps the greater Dublin area, or the East coast of Ireland, should claim cultural autonomy and seek to claim independence!
This is nationalism for the wealthy cloaked in self-interest and suborning the language of the genuinely oppressed. It does not deserve our sympathy. The richer should subsidise the poorer and this is the essence of redistribution.
@Harry Whitehead: You mean like DeValera and the rest of the members of the first dail?
@John R: Now now don’t let your grounded facts get in the way of a good straw man
@John R: well said john
All Spain vote needed for separation IMO.
And 52% support for separation in this particular poll is hardly the massive majority that folks on claim the separatist movement holds.
@MK76:
Did the UK have a vote when we declared our independence? Did France have a vote when it’s colonies declared independence?
I think you’ll find that regions by and large tend to decide for themselves. There’s very little historical precedent for what you’re advocating for.
@MK76: Yes, 52% the same percentage as the Brixit leave vote. A slim majority, but a majority all the same.
@Thought for Food: your analogy is wrong. Catalonia has never been its own state. It’s the equivalent of Cork seeking independence. And under the Spanish constitution the whole country does indeed have to vote on it. That’s the constitution that Catalonia signed up to in 1975. The secessionists are also extremely nationalistic and on the far right. Hardly the poor oppressed politicians they make out to be. If they win, fair play to them and good luck to Catalonia but people should stop romanticising their movement.
@MK76: that’s incorrect, 47.5% voted for separatist parties. they have majority on seat not on popular votes
@Tom Nelligan: The People’s Republic of Cork shall break free from the tyrannical claws of those west Brits in Leinster House.
@Féach News:
It was only a matter of time!
@Charles Williams: You know that the unionist parties got 52.1% of the vote and the separatists got only 47%? Funny way the seats were distributed.
Hardly a mandate to leave Spain.
@Féach News: Viva Cork!
The headline and the article aren’t exactly comfortable bedfellows. I thought there was a landslide victory. With the higher turnout the pro independence position weakened and lost the popular vote. Shows the referendum for the sham it was. Gunter will be staying in Brussels for a while longer
Intimidation and semi sanctioned Govt violence failed…
@ABitLeftandaBitLost: Oh get a grip. Catalonia is not oppressed. It is the richest area of Spain with massive autonomy. The nationalist movement is driven by a desire to keep their own wealth and stop redistribution to less wealthy areas. Stop romanticising what is a right wing political movement with selfishness at its very core. In what alternative reality is a really wealthy area “oppressed”. The separatists gained a majority in Parliament but lost the popular vote. You cannot secede on such a basis without chaos. Nor can Catalonia secede without a Constitutional referendum across the entire of Spain. This is the Constitution that the Catalans themselves voted for overwhelmingly ! Democracy on whose terms?
@John R: Didn’t use oppressed anywhere in the article. The “Intimidation and semi sanctioned Govt violence” refers to the brutal, illegal use of violence by Spanish police during referendum.
@ABitLeftandaBitLost: So you don’t regard intimidation and violence as “oppression”? Interesting stance.
My point stands. The majority of people in Catalonia have voted for unity not independence and the people of Spain are entitled to a referendum under the very Constitution that the Catalans themselves voted for overwhelmingly. What the separatists wish to impose would lead to civil war. They are not the majority in either Catalonia or Spain. They don’t deserve our sympathy. If every rich region wishes to stop subsidizing poorer areas there would be massive social upheaval. Our European models of democracy are all based on redistribution which offers the worst consequences of capitalism which generates wealth.
Groundhog Day
Because of the electoral law independentist parties get more seats with less votes, even like that the separatists have lost two seats compared to the previous election. The result in individidual votes it’s 47.5% for independentists and 52.1 % for non independentists.
What does this mean for Tasmania?
@Padraic Reid: DCC will fly their flag soon enough
Feel like this vote is being grossly under-reported considering how many people said “oh let’s see what happens in the vote in December” after their vote to leave back in October.
Spanish PM will now have to resign?
have your say