Mr. Dara Lynott:

No health impact assessment is being made as part of the study. There will be a review of health impact assessments that have been made internationally of fracking and their outcomes.

We will also look at all literature that has been developed in terms of environment impacts associated with fracking on air, groundwater, surface water, soil etc., and any health impacts associated with those environmental impacts will also be assessed. This is a quantitative review of what is available in terms of a HIA. It is with a view to getting the best of what is available internationally, putting together a programme of how a HIA would be done in the event that fracking is ever done in Ireland and that these are the steps that would meet best international practice. We feel that is of value particularly to policy makers, legislators and other regulatory authorities that they would be aware, through this research, of all the appropriate steps for doing a proper HIA if fracking ever takes place in Ireland.