Supporters of the five Mayo men still imprisoned because of their opposition to the Corrib gas onshore pipeline leave for Norway today to visit members of the new Labour government and representatives of Statoil.
Statoil, which is 71 per cent Norwegian state-owned, holds a 38 per cent share in the Corrib gas field, along with partners Shell and Marathon. The delegation, led by Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley (Ind), intends to highlight Norway's role in the impasse.
The delegation includes two relatives of the imprisoned men - Cáitln Uí Sheighín, wife of Micheál Ó Seighín, and Chris Philbin, son of Brendan Philbin.
The visit is being financed through personal funds and the Shell to Sea campaign. A member of Shell E&P Ireland's senior management was forced to apologise to Dr Cowley last week when he accused him of travelling on a "junket" to Norway.
The group will meet Statoil's head of public affairs and a member of its Corrib gas management team in Oslo, and politicians from various parties, including Labour, which won last week's general election.
Last month, the five imprisoned men said Norwegians would receive more benefit from the Corrib gas field than the "zero holding" of Irish people in the €900 million project.
The men, nearing their 12th week in prison, agreed to a mediation offer by Shell last week.
