Providence Oil Article

[simonj]

If you ever wondered why the media dont make a squeakj, ask the O Reillys

http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2012/10/26...ned-is-theirs/

Note the about-face by Mr Rabbit when he came to power

The Doonish field will cost around 100m to develop, a fraction of NAMA but we are told we cant afford it!

With this and Shell, we have gone from being a potential Norway to being in a worse situation than Nigeria in terms of economic benefit from a once off finate natural resource!

[Kid Ryder]

Well done simonj for putting this fine LRB article up on this forum. I'd have done it myself except I wanted to see if it would get posted here without my agency. The near-absence of critical comment on the $hitty Ahern/Burke/Ryan hydrocarbon terms speaks volumes to anyone who cares enough to notice, while the Oireland Inc. media and An Garda Síochána get on with blackening the names of Maura Harrington, Pat O'Donnell, Willie Corduff and anyone else who has the temerity to attempt interruption of the corruption.
Future generations will look back at the Corrib dispute and damn all those who acquiesced in the theft of Ireland's natural resources and those who facilitated the 'Nigeriaisation' of citizen-state relations (in fact I predict the intensification of corrupt relations between Oireland Inc. and Big Oil will make Nigeria look like a model of good governance). The battle over who controls Ireland's oil and gas will come to dwarf the current disgruntlement over austerity soon enough, and in time this benighted land will have its own Ogoni 9 for good people to lament and wicked people to calumniate. I take no pleasure in this prediction: the intensity of the hatred (towards those who oppose them) and will to violence on the part of pro-Shell agents on one hand and the determination of the citizens of Kilcommon and all those who stand with them to see justice done on the other makes such a prediction a gimme.

[fluffybiscuits]

If you ever wondered why the media dont make a squeakj, ask the O Reillys

http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2012/10/26...ned-is-theirs/

Note the about-face by Mr Rabbit when he came to power

The Doonish field will cost around 100m to develop, a fraction of NAMA but we are told we cant afford it!

With this and Shell, we have gone from being a potential Norway to being in a worse situation than Nigeria in terms of economic benefit from a once off finate natural resource!

Incredible.Something which could net us billions and potentially help the country is now being put on hold as we cant afford it? Morally the former ministers are beyond reprehensibleness selling the rights to Irelands natural resources , its akin to a fire sale. Coillte, oil and other resources gone into the hands of others for a pittance.

[simonj]

It has not been put on hold - far worse - it was given away.
While the article quoted is better written and better edited, I wrote a more indepth look at the issues, but it is a bit of a read.

http://citizensimon.blogspot.co.uk/2...rib-field.html

[Kid Ryder]

It has not been put on hold - far worse - it was given away.
While the article quoted is better written and better edited, I wrote a more indepth look at the issues, but it is a bit of a read.

http://citizensimon.blogspot.co.uk/2...rib-field.html

Good article simonj, covers most of the relevant bases, and it's every bit as good as the LRB article so don't deprecate yourself. It's interesting to note that Paul Williams is (according to your good self) the son of a Garda. It does explain where he's coming from: it looks like he has never had cause to doubt the 'breakfast table' political outlook of his upbringing, and for him to doubt the veracity of the copy the Garda Press Office feeds him is probably akin to calling his dad a liar. However, it's not like the cops are using 'poor Paul' - Mr. Williams has made a fine lucrative career for himself from relaying the carefully crafted lies and half-truths emanating from Phoenix Park. There's something of benefit to both parties in the relationship, and Mr. Williams now has Shell too to pass him little 'considerations' in return for the deployment of his poison pen.

[simonj]

Thanks for the compliment. Doing a pick-up here and heading to Ghana maybe - Tullow dividends there are being ringfenced for infrastructure and education programs, at least their government - even with corruption - at least pretend they will distribute returns from natural resources in long term investments.

Perversely Angola and Nigeria will see better internal investment than we will.

The Kenyans are also going to do better, even if it is debatable if the oil is in Kenyan waters