Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Yes, I have had discussions with our colleagues in Northern Ireland about this because they seem to be further along the road than we are, and were about to commence fracking in Fermanagh in particular. They too now are pulling back somewhat and waiting until more information is available in this area.

No, I have not spoken to the French EPA, but we have spoken to some people politically in France. I understand the decision to ban is not an absolute one; it is a decision to ban until more evidence is compiled. They may well continue the ban then but I do not know. The ban is sometimes explained as conclusive evidence on the subject, but as I understand it from political sources, it is a ban pending research. Everybody across the European Union, bar one member state that is well disposed towards it, is anxious to get evidence to allay the fears of citizens about the issue and at the same time trying to balance that with the possibility of safely extracting such gas as it would have a considerable economic impact on whatever country made such finds.

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