Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Does the Minister of State know the seanfhocal a dheireann, is é an bóthar mór an t-aicearra? The high road is the short cut and the short road is not necessarily the short cut. We are all aware of the difficulties that arose because of Corrib Gas. The Department is repeating the mistake by taking the narrow permission by permission approach without developing an overarching policy on fracking that would not only take into account the narrow environmental concerns but also societal and community concerns. Does the Minister of State believe using physical pads that could be removed in counties Leitrim of Clare is an acceptable development, given the nature of the beautiful countryside? Earlier, I used the Croagh Patrick analogy in the context of oil.

I agree with Deputy Nulty. I was not aware of the fracking issue or that licences had issued because not every Minister knows what every other Minister does every day. I regret that the initial licences were granted by the previous Government before we developed a policy on fracking. As soon as fracking was brought to my attention, I stated a policy was needed before further licences would be issued. I regret the issuing of the initial licences because once one goes down that route, money will be invested and then if a Minister's policy is not to proceed with fracking, the investors are left high and dry and the community concerned will have been treated in a cavalier fashion. Will the Minister develop a broad-based, joined up policy on the extraction of gas by hydraulic fracturing that would take into account not only environmental issues but also social issues affecting tourism, communities and so on? Is he willing to give an undertaking to publish such a policy before further licences are issued in this process?

See this speech in context