Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 14 together.

In October 2011, the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, requested the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to conduct research and advise on the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves. The EPA is funding preliminary background research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction and into the regulatory approaches of other countries with a view to helping to establish best environmental practice.

This research is in the form of a desk-based study being carried out by the University of Aberdeen. The EPA consulted with the Department before finalising the terms of reference for this study and a report in respect of the study is expected by the end of February.

The university was one of several parties approached by the EPA based on its expertise in the relevant field and was subsequently awarded the contract. Universities across the world forge links with industry relevant to their area of expertise. However, impartiality is accepted and recognised as a key element to all academic research.

The EPA proposes to commission further, more extensive research on hydraulic fracturing in 2012 with a working group involving representatives from my Department and the EPA established to develop the scope for this study. The research is expected to examine the environmental considerations relating to the use of hydraulic fracturing generally and will not be specific to any particular location or part of the country.

The final specification for this research will only be prepared after the EPA, which is an independent statutory body, has considered the output from the study under way at the University of Aberdeen.

My Department has not received applications for nor licensed the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Irish onshore at this time. Any such application that involved hydraulic fracturing would be subject to an environmental impact assessment. The assessment would include a public consultation phase of four weeks or more which would be advertised on my Department's website and in the local press. This would afford local community groups and the general public an opportunity to comment on the project and its potential environmental effects. My Department would also seek and be guided by the expert advice of other relevant statutory authorities. The outcome of the environmental impact assessment would help determine whether an exploration licence would be granted.

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