Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)

The Fianna Fáil Party's position is that the issuing of any further licences, whether exploratory or preliminary, should be put on hold in the absence of a broader national policy. We must move with haste to address these issues. The Minister of State outlined the findings of the desk study that is in the public domain. In regard to the second report he has commissioned, will he indicate or undertake to publish its terms of reference? I was going to probe him on the time line, but he has indicated it will be 12 months. When will the research commence and when will it finish? What form will the public consultation take? This is a highly contentious issue in communities throughout the State, as the Minister of State knows. The greater the level of public engagement on the issue, the better.

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