Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The EPA report on fracking does not include consideration of an issue that will have to be taken into consideration by the political system, namely, the negotiations on the transatlantic trade and investment partnership, TTIP, and the investor-state dispute settlement, ISDS, system. Particularly under the ISDS system, energy companies will undoubtedly threaten governments. If they are not given consent even to explore, they will certainly look for the money back and may even charge governments for the potential profits they will claim they might have been able to make had permission been granted. That is a factor which must be taken into account by the political system. The EPA cannot do so because the matter is not within its brief.

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