Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question on an issue that exercises many people in different parts of the country.

In coming to a view on whether unconventional gas exploration and extraction could be permitted in Ireland, it was considered necessary in the first instance to establish if this technology could be carried out in a manner that would not negatively impact on the environment and human health. Having consulted publicly on the terms of reference for a research programme, the issues identified on foot of this process have been included in the scope of the research programme being administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, with oversight from a broad based steering committee that includes my Department.

At the beginning of this year, the steering committee took the view that it was an appropriate time to reflect on the overall timeline for the delivery of the research programme. As the original timeline envisaged that the entire programme, including work carried out under a supplementary tender, would conclude by late 2016, it was considered that were the supplementary tender process to be commenced, that the overall research programme would now not report until 2018 at the earliest.

As the request for tenders through which the CDM Smith consortium was appointed did not envisage an interim report, a revised scope of work was agreed with the consortium to combine all of the work to date into a meaningful synthesis report.  It is anticipated that this report will be published by year end.

I would like to reiterate that no application to engage in unconventional gas exploration and extraction has been received in my Department, nor would any such application, if submitted, be considered until the research programme has concluded and there has been time to consider its findings. Any policy decision will be taken in the context of the objective of achieving a low carbon energy system by 2050.

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