If
ever a story shows that persistent pressure by concerned people can
yield results then the Irish gas and oil story is one that has just hit
the hundredth monkey.
After a decade of pressure put on government and media by citizen journalists, activists and protests revealing the sordid details of the oil and gas giveaways by successive governments from the 1980s to the present day, this government has finally (reluctantly) been forced to take the first steps towards reclaiming our assets for the nation.
This article by Eddie Hobbs confirms that it is only the first step, and does not go anywhere near far enough, but the principles of the Wood McKenzie report go a lot further and have been adopted by government. However this will only happen if the pressure stays on them.
The old deal leaves ownership of the oil and gas finds in the hands of private prospectors with an extremely generous if not negligible tax regime in place. It also leaves Ireland no better off than at present, where we import all our oil and gas, as we can only buy our oil and gas back at market rates. However the pressure ordinary people have put on the political establishment through media, protest, and on the doors over recent years has caused this issue to because a major problem for the status quo that gave it away.
Source and full story: Direct Democracy Ireland, 25 June 2014
After a decade of pressure put on government and media by citizen journalists, activists and protests revealing the sordid details of the oil and gas giveaways by successive governments from the 1980s to the present day, this government has finally (reluctantly) been forced to take the first steps towards reclaiming our assets for the nation.
This article by Eddie Hobbs confirms that it is only the first step, and does not go anywhere near far enough, but the principles of the Wood McKenzie report go a lot further and have been adopted by government. However this will only happen if the pressure stays on them.
The old deal leaves ownership of the oil and gas finds in the hands of private prospectors with an extremely generous if not negligible tax regime in place. It also leaves Ireland no better off than at present, where we import all our oil and gas, as we can only buy our oil and gas back at market rates. However the pressure ordinary people have put on the political establishment through media, protest, and on the doors over recent years has caused this issue to because a major problem for the status quo that gave it away.
Source and full story: Direct Democracy Ireland, 25 June 2014
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