Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

That is all too late. Now is the time to act. If Providence Resources discovers oil or gas in any significant quantities it is unprecedented for any company in that situation not to be allowed to go into production. In reality, this matter will be decided on this application. Normally such applications are not allowed.

Countries like Norway, where best practice is followed, simply do not allow drilling for oil or gas close to coastlines. The public consultation process that went into this application was pathetic. Providence Resources must have had years to prepare its application. The public only found out about it because local residents groups in Dalkey, Protect Our Coast and Save Our Seafront, rang the alarm bells and public meetings were called at very short notice to inform people they needed to make submissions.

It was only in the immediate area of Dalkey and Dún Laoghaire that people had time to do that. People in Sandymount, Ringsend, Clontarf, Fairview and Greystones were not informed of the application even though they would be directly affected if there were any damaging environmental consequences. For that reason, there should be a proper public inquiry so that every stakeholder and resident in the Dublin Bay area is given an opportunity to have his or her say.

Best international practice is that one does not allow drilling so close to the coast. There is always a public inquiry, drilling takes place at safe distances out at sea and the state gets a proper share of the revenues. None of those criteria is in place. Therefore, there is no reason to take this risk or allow the licence to proceed. I appeal to the Government to reject the foreshore licences, establish rules that will safeguard our environment and have proper public consultation and management of natural resources in the future.

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