Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Following on from the issue raised by Deputy Michael Moynihan, speaking not with my political hat on but as a former scientist, the EPA, Queen's University, the British Geological Survey, UCD and the University of Ulster are all putting their names on the line. If they cannot stand over the research that is produced or if somebody knocks a hole in the research after it is published, their names are tarnished. I have absolutely no doubt that they will not put their name to any report that they cannot stand over or that is not fully peer-reviewed. This is a unique study. It will be reviewed by every government and every exploration company in the world, and every advocacy organisation will examine it. If there are errors, mistakes or discrepancies, they will be pointed out very quickly and exposed. It is in the interests of the EPA and all the other bodies involved to ensure the issues are comprehensively addressed and that no questions are left unanswered. It is fundamentally important that no questions are left unanswered before either this Government or the authorities in Northern Ireland consider even exploratory fracking, not to mention fracking on a commercial basis.