Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The licences we have issued, whatever stage they are at, can only be prevented from proceeding to the next stage if the companies holding them do not meet the required standards and fulfil the relevant obligations, including carrying out environmental assessments and so on. Fracking gives someone limited potential, whereas the licences already issued present a greater chance of yielding something of benefit to the State in an environmentally friendly way.