Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

A.licensing option has been agreed and no fracking licence has been granted. If an application is made for the second phase, the exploration licence, the local authority will be involved as a planning application will be necessary. The Department will also seek advice from the EPA. I respect the agency's independence and professionalism and it has been consulted. The University of Aberdeen is the repository of knowledge which the agency has approached and we are happy to take the university's advice. Subsequent to this, there will be more intensive research into the impact of hydraulic fracturing. There is no question, therefore, of getting a biased or one-sided report from an academic institution. Aberdeen university and other high quality universities are objective, otherwise, by definition, they would not be universities. They have to be objective in their assessments.

If gas is extracted following hydraulic fracturing, all the European environmental directives will apply, including those relating to environmental impact assessments, mining waste licences, water frameworks, REACH and habitats. There is a strong body of directives which must apply if we proceed to that stage but the Department has received no such application.

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