Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A recent United Nations Environment Programme report outlined some of the dangers posed to human and non-human life by the chemicals used in the fracking process. It pointed out:

Fracturing fluid consists of large amounts of water mixed with chemicals and sand. In most countries the chemicals used in fracking fluid are considered trade secrets ... If companies are not required to publicly disclose the full list of chemicals used, assessing potential short- and long-term impacts on public health will be difficult.

We should also take on board that "Fracking is an extremely water-intensive practice. A single horizontal shale gas well will use" up to 34 million litres of water, "depending on the size of the area ... the depth of the well". This "excessive water usage" can have drastic impacts "on biodiversity and local ecosystems, while lowering the water table, resulting in reduced availability of water for use by local communities and agriculture".

With regard to the American economy taking off on access to cheap gas, I remind the Minister of State of the Cree Indian saying that not until the white man has cut down every tree and poisoned every river will he realise that we cannot eat money.

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