Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

A very significant and alarming event took place yesterday in County Antrim where the oil extraction company Infrastrata began test drilling on land owned, interestingly enough, by Northern Ireland Water. Three reservoirs have already been closed down. While Northern Ireland Water and the company claim there is no danger to the water, they have had to close three reservoirs. They started the test drilling without planning, without environmental assessment and without any consultation. While it is a different jurisdiction, this has very significant consequences for down here. It opens the door to and sets a precedent for test drilling which is part of the process of commencing actual hydraulic fracking. It involves drilling into the ground using chemicals in a way that can damage the water table. Friends of the Earth and our own public representative recently elected in Belfast have been up campaigning about this. There is great concern about it. It has serious implications.

My question to the Tánaiste is on the moratorium, which is in essence an informal arrangement, and any intention of the Government. There is nothing to stop oil companies test drilling in this way and, if one likes, commencing the process of hydraulic fracking. Given the commitment of the Government and Members on all sides of the House to deal with the imminent possibility of runaway climate change, there is no place whatsoever anywhere on this island for hydraulic fracking. That message must be sent out and enshrined in legislation. I brought before the House just before the dissolution of the last Dáil a Bill which was written by Friends of the Earth and An Taisce looking for a complete ban and prohibition on hydraulic fracking. The issue of fracking is not mentioned at all in the legislative programme. Is there any intention on the part of the Government to move towards a decision to ban fracking? When will we see the EPA report on fracking, which I believe has already been discredited on foot of the way it was conducted, and discuss it here? Most importantly, are we going to have legislation or is the Government willing to take the Bill I introduced in the last Dáil on board to allow us to discuss legislation here? If we are serious about tackling climate change, I hope there will be agreement around the House on the urgent necessity on foot of what is happening in the North to send out a clear signal that hydraulic fracking is not acceptable.

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