Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

This is the key point. The Minister of State has indicated previously that nothing can happen. I tabled my original question in response to the growing concerns with regard to the environmental problems relating to fracking and the widespread opposition to it in nearly every European country in which its use has been proposed, as well as across the United States. Discussions are under way in respect of the TTIP, which contains safeguards that are designed to protect corporate investments above the rights of citizens and the environment. The fracking issue is being teed up in respect of this matter in such as way as to steal from states the ability to protect themselves. Essentially, the TTIP will give companies more rights than governments. If the Government is genuinely serious with regard to protecting the environment and people from the effects of fracking, then the clause in the TTIP relating to investor-state dispute settlement rights must be removed. Governments that have put in place regulations to protect their citizens and the environment are already being taken to court by multinationals on the basis of either a loss or a potential loss of profits. If the clause to which I refer is not withdrawn and if a future Irish Government seeks to protect its citizens from the effects of fracking, the State will be brought to court by multinational corporations seeking billions in compensation. On that basis, we should rescind the options to which the Minister of State referred before it is too late.

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