Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am proud to be able to stand here with my Bill on Final Stage of the legislative process in the Dáil. As a humble backbench Deputy from the Silgo-Leitrim constituency, I believe the Bill's passage through the Dáil will be a major moment for politics. I say this because, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be acutely aware, Private Members' Bills rarely, if ever, make it past the Second Reading of the legislative process in Dáil or Seanad Éireann. To have reached Final Stage with a Private Members' Bill that will ensure the environment and communities in the west and north west will be protected from the harmful and damaging effects of hydraulic fracking is a special moment for me and the people I was elected to represent. The sheer speed with which the Bill progressed this year shows that, notwithstanding the negativity in the media that surrounds the concept, new politics can work well if all sides engage proactively and work together.

Since I introduced the Bill on First Stage on 8 June 2016, it has progressed at a rapid pace through to the Report and Final Stages in the Dáil. The goal now is to identify and debate whether the Bill constitutes good law. As its sponsor, I can safely say it could not be clearer that this is necessary legislation. The Bill has been heavily scrutinised and continually improved by the Oireachtas in the past 12 months. The vast amount of research against fracking and in support of the need for this prohibition is clear and unequivocal. It includes more than 500 academic studies on geographical areas in the United States and Europe; the Sustainable Water Network Ireland research report which found that fracking poses a substantial risk to Irish rivers and lakes; and the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency's report into hydraulic fracking in Ireland. The Concerned Health Professionals of Ireland group has also supported the Bill, noting that the "scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows that permitting fracking in Ireland and Northern Ireland would pose significant threats to the air, water and the health and safety of individuals and communities here."

I thank all members of the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment who compiled the pre-legislative scrutiny report launched last April. The report, which firmly supported the need for, and scope of, my Bill, provided yet another indication that Dáil Éireann as a whole is committed to acting to prohibit the process of fracking from ever being allowed to occur in this country.

Hydraulic fracturing is an extraction and exploration process that has been scientifically proven to be bad for the environment. It would damage our fresh groundwater, affect our agricultural output, damage our tourism industry and, most important, have a detrimental effect on public health. If it was ever permitted to take place in the Republic of Ireland, counties such as SIigo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan and Clare could experience damaging effects similar to those experienced by cities and towns in the United States, many of which have decided to implement bans similar to that proposed in the Bill. On that basis, unconventional hydraulic fracking must be considered a serious public health and environmental concern for tens of thousands of people in the Republic of Ireland. This is the key reason the Bill is necessary and its importance of its passage has been recognised by the majority of parties in the House.

Before we decide if the Bill will pass, I note that it was drafted, amended and improved in the past 11 months thanks to the kind help and assistance of the Government and a number of local and national non-governmental organisations and groups. In particular, I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Seán Kyne, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, the former Minister in the Department, Deputy Joe McHugh, Ms Kate Ruddock of Friends of the Earth, Mr. Eddie Mitchell and the entire active committee of Love Leitrim who are present in the Gallery - well done to them - Ms Aideen McLoughlin, Mr. Liam Breslin and all the members of the Good Energies Alliance, my political staff, including my personal assistant, and all the other people who have supported me with the Bill thus far.

It has been my intention since introducing the Bill to have clear and appropriate legislation enacted to protect both the local quality of life in rural Ireland and our country's reputation abroad in industries such as agriculture. I am pleased to support the Bill, as amended by the select committee, because it is, in its current form, fully in line with the intent of my proposal.

A number of amendments were proposed on Committee Stage to extend the ban on fracking offshore. However, it is my understanding that this offshore activity does not raise the concerns that arise regarding onshore fracking. Legislation should be considered and proportionate. As Deputies have not had the benefit of pre-legislative scrutiny or debate about offshore activities, the proposed extension of the prohibition offshore is not appropriate in this Bill, particularly when it appears there are, as yet, no scientific findings to support such an approach.

When others ridiculed me and my party and questioned my efforts and intentions, I kept my head down. I have delivered this Bill, with the assistance of my colleagues, on behalf of the affected people and communities I was fortunate to be elected to represent. There can be no substitute for hard work and it is only through hard work that the Bill got this far. I now eagerly await its passage through the Seanad and the final signature of the President.

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