Great Gas Give-away

Tax hikes and cuts while government gives away €540 billion for free! By Paul Murphy WHILE THE government puts the boot into ordinary people in another vicious budget, the giveaway of billions of euro of gas continues. Figures from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural resources suggest that around €540 billion of our natural resources will be given away to multinational companies over the coming years. This is because deals worked out in the 1980s and ‘90s between multinational oil companies and ministers in Haughey’s government are now being implemented by Fianna Fail and the Greens.
Tax hikes and cuts while government gives away €540 billion for free!

By Paul Murphy

WHILE THE government puts the boot into ordinary people in another vicious budget, the giveaway of billions of euro of gas continues.

Figures from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural resources suggest that around €540 billion of our natural resources will be given away to multinational companies over the coming years. This is because deals worked out in the 1980s and ‘90s between multinational oil companies and ministers in Haughey’s government are now being implemented by Fianna Fail and the Greens.

The Corrib field alone is estimated to be worth more than €50 billion, while other gas and oil fields under Irish waters have been valued at around ten times that. It is looking increasingly likely that there are plans to use Shell’s refinery at Bellanaboy (near Rossport) to refine gas from the other fields as well.

Disgracefully, Shell to Sea activist Maura Harrington, spent 28 days in jail at the order of Judge Mary Devins, the wife of Jimmy Devins, a Fianna Fail Minister! In addition, in advance of the pipe-laying work, which is likely to restart in the coming months, 30 court summons have been issued to local people in an attempt to intimidate them and stop them from protesting.

The gas giveaway highlights the hypocrisy of the government – they claim we all have to sacrifice and pay our share – but they have given away billions in natural resources for nothing. Nationalising the gas and refining it in a safe manner would enable us to develop, not cutback, our essential public services, provide cheap fuel and invest in alternatives to fossil fuels.

Total
0
Shares
Previous Article

Home help cuts hurt the vulnerable

Next Article

Joe Higgins for Europe

Related Posts

World recession will spark global struggles

recessionBy Stephen Boyd, Editor, the Socialist

2008 will be remembered for the credit crunch and world financial crisis. But as 2009 begins we can safely predict this year will be remembered as the year when the "real economy" of countries all around the globe went into meltdown.

Read More

Government to privatise pensions?

Joan Burton’s announcement that a universal pension scheme will be established for private sector workers on the surface can be seen to be a step in dealing with the crisis many workers without pensions will face on retirement.

Budget: €90 billion bailout for the super rich

By Michael Murphy

IN A graphic validation to the old adage “one law for the rich and one for the poor”, the decision of the Fianna Fail/Green Party government to buy the bad debts from the Irish banks for up to €90 billion while making cuts to the poorest sections of society in the form of social welfare Christmas payments and rent allowance is a scandal.

Read More

Capitalism – “Working for the few”

We are living in a world where there is massive social and economic inequality. This situation is outlined in the Oxfam briefing paper “Working for the Few” which shows that the top one percent of the population have increased their income since 2008 and seven out of ten people live in countries where economic inequality has increased in the last 30 years. While multinationals get away with paying a minimal tax rate we are bombarded by such unfair taxes as the property tax and the up-coming water charge.