Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As already stated, the Deputy's initial question was general in nature and referred to subterranean drilling. Obviously, the latter encompasses mining. I asked him to pose a specific question following my reply and he has done so by focusing on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, of rock formations. There is no plan at present to allow hydraulic fracturing to take place. Both of our predecessors in the Department, Deputies O'Dowd and Rabbitte, consistently stated that it is not proposed to consider applications for authorisations involving the use of hydraulic fracturing to take place until research the Environmental Protection Agency is carrying out into the potential environmental impact of this process has been completed and considered. It is important to point out that there are no plans to allow the use of hydraulic fracturing. It is also important to highlight that a call for tenders was issued by the EPA in November 2013 and that a steering group involving various departmental agencies has been established. That group has been reviewing the tenders received and an announcement on the award of the contract is expected shortly.

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