Ballina road blockage/protest last night 30-07-12

sanbrafyffe

i was coming in the sligo road into ballina and that straight stretch where the speed camera van does be,,well there was gaurds all over with lorrys and there orange lights on at a standstill,,,before i turned right down tyhe rugby club road and out the to turn left at quay road,,,i waited for a guy that was walking towards my van and asked him what was going on

he told me that they have blocked to road to prevent some drilling machine going down to the corrib gas terminal,,after a brief chat i head away and they were all in at the bridge and in at dunnes...there was a massive crowd of them

anyone saw this and what was the outcome as i headed home,,,i passed this around midnight or a little after

smurfy89

Didn't actually see it but heard a few people on about how half the town was blocked up with them last night

http://www.thejournal.ie/four-arrested-after-shell-to-sea-protesters-block-convoy-539381-Jul2012/#slide-slideshow9

woody1

according to the times
the trucks are/were stuck at a crossroads
somewhere closer to the site..
hard to believe that someone didnt do a recce
and figure out beforehand whether or not theyd
fit round a corner..

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0731/breaking14.html

irishgeo

Anyone else getting very bored of this constant protesting.

The gas is going to come ashore, all this is doing is delaying the Irish tax payers getting a return. Shell are writing all these costs of against the development of the terminal. They don't start paying tax until they have recouped their costs.

Mickeroo

I agree Irishgeo but from what I heard there was no protesting in this case at all though. The lorry was just too damn big for a particular corner in the road apparently.

Ilovelucy

Mickeroo wrote: »

I agree Irishgeo but from what I heard there was no protesting in this case at all though. The lorry was just too damn big for a particular corner in the road apparently.

Two completely different stories at play here. The first relates to a protest in Ballina last night and the other is that one of the trucks is currently stuck at glenamoy bridge.

sanbrafyffe

we could merge them thanks

Ilovelucy wrote: »

Two completely different stories at play here. The first relates to a protest in Ballina last night and the other is that one of the trucks is currently stuck at glenamoy bridge.

Ilovelucy

I was just pointing out to Mickeroo that there was a protest last night and not just a truck stuck.

finisklin

How can Peter Hynes absolve Mayo Co Co after granting the special permits for Shell to transport abnormal loads on the Mayo road network that has severe limitations for abnormal loads as highlighted by the truck going off the road?

Banana republic......:mad:

qrrgprgua

Mayo has 2% of Idiots who make 98% of the noise. This place (I am not from Mayo) is constantly saying they are overlooked.. But when jobs do come we get the auld biddy who comes with her NIMBY protest.

Time this place has a plebiscite..and be done with it.

artyeva

qrrgprgua wrote: »

Mayo has 2% of Idiots who make 98% of the noise. This place (I am not from Mayo) is constantly saying they are overlooked.. But when jobs do come we get the auld biddy who comes with her NIMBY protest.

Time this place has a plebiscite..and be done with it.

yes, a very measured and mature and informed response to the whole issue.

afterhours is that way i think :rolleyes:

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>

Mickeroo

Ilovelucy wrote: »

Two completely different stories at play here. The first relates to a protest in Ballina last night and the other is that one of the trucks is currently stuck at glenamoy bridge.

woops, makes more sense now

irishgeo

i wonder who is paying for the new road they are building?

mayo.mick

Huge 50 tonne crain after passing through town about 1/2 hour ago. I'd say it must be heading for glenamoy. D reg i think it was (red).

artyeva

which town, mick?

mayo.mick

artyeva wrote: »

which town, mick?

Thaught my sig gave it away:D (swinford):)

artyeva

mayo.mick wrote: »

Thaught my sig gave it away:D (swinford):)

lol, not really, i've never heard of castletown. you wanna get yerself set up with a local tourism awareness action committee there

edit: oh yer sig. oh. ok, i just saw that there now. yeah. there it is right there - swinford. well!!!

anyway i just saw it pass by here 5 mins ago... tbh the ones they already have inside the aughoose compound look bigger. might take a spin down in a bit and see what's happening.

mayo.mick

artyeva wrote: »

lol, not really, i've never heard of castletown. you wanna get yerself set up with a local tourism awareness action committee there

edit: oh yer sig. oh. ok, i just saw that there now. yeah. there it is right there - swinford. well!!!

anyway i just saw it pass by here 5 mins ago... tbh the ones they already have inside the aughoose compound look bigger. might take a spin down in a bit and see what's happening.

You've never heard of the "Hardy Bucks"?:eek:

rusheen

mayo.mick wrote: »

Huge 50 tonne crain after passing through town about 1/2 hour ago. I'd say it must be heading for glenamoy. D reg i think it was (red).

Oh I was wondering what was happening ,TheBird O'Donnell is after running into the local shouting "tis coming tis coming , tis like a dinosaur , tis like a big bird with a neck and a peak" !!

artyeva

so mr artyeva just rang me there - yes that crane was destined for glenamoy bridge.... however before it even got to the bridge protestors have been able to climb up on it. and someone's parked a van across the road blocking it as well.

irishgeo

artyeva wrote: »

so mr artyeva just rang me there - yes that crane was destined for glenamoy bridge.... however before it even got to the bridge protestors have been able to climb up on it. and someone's parked a van across the road blocking it as well.

i despair against these child games. is blocking a main road a serious offence.

I would tow the car away and make them pay a fine to get it back.

Graciefacey

Another gang for Maura to add to her list of enemies ganging up on her, the gardai, shell, impounders, the human race shel prob just do another blog! Saw her shopping in Tesco once, thought Tesco would also be a conglomerate 'authority' she resents and lives on a diet of natural substances potatoes hash and bitterness

finisklin

Fair play to Sinn Fein for stating the obvious on this. See here

As indicated by the councillor Rose Conway Walsh "who can local people contact when there is an event where there are immediate health and safety concerns. Is it Shell, Mayo County Council or the local Gardai? It appears that everyone has the authority yet no one has the responsibility. This is not good enough.”

In addition she states the following -"Had I been consulted, the first question I would have asked is has the carrying capacity of the route been assessed by Mayo County Council and what health & safety plan has been put in place.”

“I have asked Mayo County Council for a report on how the route was assessed and what traffic management plan was put in place before the permit was granted to allow this weight and size to be transported."

The council's response will be interesting. Caught with their trousers down big time.

anfield liv

It is typical of the banana republic that we live in that this shell fiasco is going on now for something like 10 years and yet we are no nearer a resolution and why.....I reckon the truth could be something along the line of ray burke and co being more interested in lining their own pockets than doing what was right for the state...then you have shell who are acting like they haven't a red cent trying to short cut everything and everyone in trying to bring a much needed commodity ashore.....and mayo co co are no better,aiding and abetting the carry on in the hope that they get a few roads tarred with shell money....not forgetting the eco-warriors who would not have got a look in if things were done right from day one.If I start digging a hole in my garden tomorrow they will soon forget Corrib and descend on my patch!! Where is it all going to end,who knows but hopefully no lives will be lost as a result of the shoddiness of what we have seen over the past 10 years.....it is very hard to watch successive governments sh*t on its own people and not be pro active in putting this project to bed and getting on with bringing in the trillions of gas and oil off our coast.:(

oscarBravo

finisklin wrote: »

In addition she states the following -"Had I been consulted, the first question I would have asked is has the carrying capacity of the route been assessed by Mayo County Council and what health & safety plan has been put in place.”

“I have asked Mayo County Council for a report on how the route was assessed and what traffic management plan was put in place..."

Doubtless she has detailed records of the health & safety and traffic management plans that have been carefully drawn up by the Shell to Sea campaign.

artyeva

right, just back from down there and i'm actually speechless at what's going on. it's like a benny hill sketch, just with heavy machinery instead of scantily clad women

they sent in the crane to rescue the lorries with no lead vehicles, no security, totally unaccompanied. into an are where they KNOW protesters are... and surprise surprise a protester was able to get on top of the crane. at about 9.45 the teleporter that's been sent in to aid the gardai in getting the protester off the crane is on it's way down the road. again, no lead vehicle, nothing to guard it. the gardai are up ahead watching it.... and watching a protester walking towards it.... and you guessed it... climb up on top of the roof. no effort to stop him whatsoever.

they'll be there for a while :rolleyes:

oscarBravo

artyeva wrote: »

...a protester was able to get on top of the crane. ...watching a protester walking towards it.... and you guessed it... climb up on top of the roof.

I'm sitting here holding my breath waiting for Rose Conway Walsh to decry the blatant disregard for health and safety on the part of these protesters. Because there's no way she'd be blatantly hypocritical about this issue, is there?

artyeva

oscarBravo wrote: »

I'm sitting here holding my breath waiting for Rose Conway Walsh to decry the blatant disregard for health and safety on the part of these protesters. Because there's no way she'd be blatantly hypocritical about this issue, is there?

i'm afraid i have no idea who she is, sher why don't you ask her for a comment?

finisklin

oscarBravo wrote: »

Doubtless she has detailed records of the health & safety and traffic management plans that have been carefully drawn up by the Shell to Sea campaign.

I didn't realise Shell to Sea were responsible for bringing the gas ashore or being assisted by local government, An Gardai etc. or acting in the supposed public interest including health and safety.

oscarBravo

artyeva wrote: »

i'm afraid i have no idea who she is, sher why don't you ask her for a comment?

Because I have very little interest in anything she has to say beyond pointing out her hypocrisy.

finisklin wrote: »

I didn't realise Shell to Sea were responsible for bringing the gas ashore or being assisted by local government, An Gardai etc. or acting in the supposed public interest including health and safety.

That's a nice artificial distinction you've drawn in order to justify RCW getting all outraged about health and safety where one party is concerned and completely ignoring it where the other is concerned.

I think it's pretty obvious that the actual distinction is that she complains about behaviour from people she disagrees with while ignoring similar or worse behaviour from people she agrees with. It's called "hypocrisy".

When she starts loudly demanding traffic management plans from the people who illegally and deliberately (as opposed to accidentally) block roads, be sure to let me know.

irishgeo

its a wonder they didnt bring them by sea.

finisklin

oscarBravo wrote: »

Because I have very little interest in anything she has to say beyond pointing out her hypocrisy.

That's a nice artificial distinction you've drawn in order to justify RCW getting all outraged about health and safety where one party is concerned and completely ignoring it where the other is concerned.

I think it's pretty obvious that the actual distinction is that she complains about behaviour from people she disagrees with while ignoring similar or worse behaviour from people she agrees with. It's called "hypocrisy".

When she starts loudly demanding traffic management plans from the people who illegally and deliberately (as opposed to accidentally) block roads, be sure to let me know.

I was being sarcastic and the only reason I linked her was that her point makes sense - Mayo Co Co issued the special permit to Shell and it appears that they didn't do their homework. This shows that Mayo Co Co are answerable to no one, which is why none of the other parties/councillors bothered their arses to criticse the hand that feeds them.

Which begs the questions - who is looking after joe public and safeguarding them? Is that not where our taxes are going? Fortunately no member of the public was injured but locals were severly discommoded courtesy of our efficient public servants.

I am sure there will be plenty of other councillors slamming the protesters and not Peter Hynes. By the same logic that's hypocrisy.

As I said banana republic......

artyeva

the lorry's out btw. earlier this afternoon.

finisklin

Looks like the way in which the council does it's business is being challenged further in relation to this. Excerpt from the paper of record.

Meanwhile, local residents have questioned the ability of the boggy road, and the narrow old bridge, to withstand the weight of heavy removal vehicles.

Mary Corduff, who lives in Rossport, a village cut-off for a time earlier this week due to the incident, has challenged the local authority’s assertion that the proper permits existed for this 170-tonne lorry to cross the tiny bridge at Glenamoy.

She said a council engineer told her that this bridge had not been surveyed. Reportedly, the jack-knifed lorry proceeded to the Glenamoy crossroads after it failed to make a turn to its destination at Aughoose, the site for the subsea tunnel works that will connect the raw gas to the inland refinery.

“This whole fiasco is further proof that this community is under siege and has had valid worries for 12 years about Corrib gas. We cannot trust the people in authority and there is no transparency,” Ms Corduff said.

Spokesman for Pobal Chill Chomáin, John Monaghan, claimed two of An Bord Pleanála’s conditions for granting planning permission for the controversial project had been flouted.

“Condition 21 stipulates that all roads affected directly and indirectly by the project must be surveyed and Condition 13 states that relevant information must be in the public domain. Over the last few days residents have been given the run-around over the special permits granted for this operation,” Mr Monaghan said.

From here

Graciefacey

finisklin wrote: »

Looks like the way in which the council does it's business is being challenged further in relation to this. Excerpt from the paper of record.

Meanwhile, local residents have questioned the ability of the boggy road, and the narrow old bridge, to withstand the weight of heavy removal vehicles.

Mary Corduff, who lives in Rossport, a village cut-off for a time earlier this week due to the incident, has challenged the local authority’s assertion that the proper permits existed for this 170-tonne lorry to cross the tiny bridge at Glenamoy.

She said a council engineer told her that this bridge had not been surveyed. Reportedly, the jack-knifed lorry proceeded to the Glenamoy crossroads after it failed to make a turn to its destination at Aughoose, the site for the subsea tunnel works that will connect the raw gas to the inland refinery.

“This whole fiasco is further proof that this community is under siege and has had valid worries for 12 years about Corrib gas. We cannot trust the people in authority and there is no transparency,” Ms Corduff said.

Spokesman for Pobal Chill Chomáin, John Monaghan, claimed two of An Bord Pleanála’s conditions for granting planning permission for the controversial project had been flouted.

“Condition 21 stipulates that all roads affected directly and indirectly by the project must be surveyed and Condition 13 states that relevant information must be in the public domain. Over the last few days residents have been given the run-around over the special permits granted for this operation,” Mr Monaghan said.

From here

Hmm Mary corduff, any relation to the renegade Willie corduff!

artyeva

Graciefacey wrote: »

Hmm Mary corduff, any relation to the renegade Willie corduff!

why 'renegade'?

Chiparus

The dredging ship now the tunneling machine , one wonders is the project jinxed?

oscarBravo

artyeva wrote: »

why 'renegade'?

It doesn't seem an entirely inaccurate description of someone who was jailed for contempt of court.

nuac

irishgeo wrote: »

its a wonder they didnt bring them by sea.

I'd agree that might have been a better option, altho there would be a fair b it of windage on things that high.

E.g. pontoons for Rossaveal Harbour were brought from Holland on a barge

Graciefacey

artyeva wrote: »

Graciefacey wrote: »

Hmm Mary corduff, any relation to the renegade Willie corduff!

why 'renegade'?

Because he is one?

mickdw

Graciefacey wrote: »

Hmm Mary corduff, any relation to the renegade Willie corduff!

She would be the wife and also the one who sat in her van blocking one of the turning spaces that they needed to use for turning the trucks. She then claimed willie had run off down the field with the keys so they couldnt move it. She later reported him missing when he failed to return to move the van. This is the typical type of time wasting nonsense that is going on there yet she had the cheek to be complaining about being cut off due to the truck.
I believe she was also out complaining how people had a right to go the road freely, yet they have been purposely blocking the road for the last 10 years while this issue, which down to poor management and should not have happened, couldnt be described as deliberate.