The five Co Mayo man jailed for their protests over the Shell gas pipeline returned to prison again today after a brief High Court appearance.
Willie Corduff, James Philbin, Vincent and Philip McGrath and Mícheál Ó Seighin received a warm welcome in the High Court when they arrived from Cloverhill Prison this morning.
But any optimism that today might see them return to their homes in Mayo quickly faded.
Counsel for Shell, Pat Hanratty, read a letter written by his client to solicitors for the men. It indicated that Shell will not be carrying out any more work on the pipeline until a safety review commissioned by the minister is concluded.
Shell hoped this might provide an opportunity for the men to purge their contempt. But John Rogers, acting for the men, quickly dashed that hope and called the letter an audacious suggestion.
Any attempt to reopen an examination of the ministerial consents granted to Shell was refused again by the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan, who repeated that the men must first purge their contempt.
He said he was not misled by Shell when he made the order last April and it was not acceptable to him that persons who are in contempt should seek the assistance of the court.
The men can return to court at any time.
