The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has told the Dáil he cannot interfere with the High Court decision to jail five men in the row over a Shell pipeline.
Noel Dempsey said the way to resolve the issue was for Shell and the residents of the area to discuss the pipeline, with both sides having an open mind.
And he confirmed that a risk assessment of the Shell plan for the pipeline had shown it conformed to international criteria.
Protests took place in north Co Mayo earlier to demand the release of the five men who have been jailed for obstructing the laying of the controversial pipeline.
About 200 people took part in a protest at Rossport at the site of a Shell depot.
A second protest took place at Ballinaboy where the company is planning to build its on-shore gas terminal, and a third protest took place in Galway city.
The protestors are demanding the release of the five local men and want Shell to consider locating the terminal off-shore.
The Independent Mayo TD Jerry Cowley said the farmers were ‘in mortal fear of their lives’.
Labour TD Tommie Broughan called for the Government to appoint an independent arbitrator to resolve the dispute between the farmers and Shell.
Michael Ring of Fine Gael said it was appalling that these men had been imprisoned for defending their rights.
No easy solution - Shell
The Shell oil company said this morning that there is no easy solution to the dispute.
On Morning Ireland, the chairman of the Shell Group of companies in Ireland, Andy Pyle, said direct dialogue was the only way to solve the row.
Mr Pyle said it was unfortunate that the objectors to the project were refusing to talk to his company. He said he believed the company could address their concerns.
Leinster House meeting
Last night, senior executives of Shell Ireland met Mayo TDs in Leinster House and representatives of the Council for the West to try to work out a deal which would resolve the dispute.
The three-hour meeting at Leinster House was attended by Shell's Mr Pyle, the Bishop of Elphin, Dr Christy Jones, four of Mayo's five TDs and MEP Marian Harkin.
It failed to reach any agreement on how the men could be released.
