Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

44. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider a complete ban on hydraulic fracturing given renewed efforts to mitigate climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44822/15]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are many health and environmental reasons to ban fracking completely and I will introduce a Bill to that effect in the House on Thursday. In the aftermath of the Paris summit and all the aspirations and promises to deal with and prevent further and dangerous runaway climate change, is it not simply a requirement that we ban fracking in order that Ireland does not contribute to generating more fossil fuels that will damage the global climate and environment? If we are serious about those commitments, should we not just grasp the nettle now, ban fracking and not progress this further?

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, the EPA has commissioned a research programme into the potential impacts of unconventional gas exploration and extraction on the environment and human health. This all-island programme of research, which is being administered by the EPA, comprises five interlinked projects and involves field studies as well as an extensive desk-based literature review of unconventional gas exploration and extraction practices and regulations worldwide.

This scientific research programme considers existing baseline data with respect to groundwater, air and seismicity, and the potential implications and mitigations that are required to be considered to understand the environmental impacts of using this technology and whether it can be undertaken in an environmentally protective manner, in accordance with the requirements of environmental law. The programme has been designed to produce the scientific basis, which will assist regulators, both North and South, in making an informed decision about whether it is environmentally safe to allow unconventional gas exploration and extraction. As well as research in Ireland, evidence from other countries will be collated and considered.

As I have stated on a number of occasions, and I would like to once again confirm, no application to engage in such 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.

On the Paris summit, which the Deputy raised, any policy decision will be taken in the context of the objective of achieving a low carbon energy system by 2050.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In response to questions I put to them at a joint committee meeting last week, EPA officials made the extraordinary admission that following the survey that is being carried out, they will still be unable to tell us whether fracking is a danger to human health. That begs the question: what the hell is the report investigating?

It is also extraordinary that on all the key environmental impacts that are being examined, CDM Smith and Amec Foster Wheeler - one an existing member, and the other a former member, of a pro-fracking coalition - are the lead forces in this study. It is hopelessly compromised by their relationship with the oil and gas industry.

Is it not obvious that from a global climate and environmental point of view, fracking means producing more fossil fuels, which will do more damage to the environment and make it more difficult to meet climate change reduction targets and, therefore, if we want to be serious about contributing to preventing runaway climate change, fracking should be banned? The Government should forget all these useless compromise studies and just ban fracking.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

No applications have been submitted and even if they were, they would not be accepted because it is clear fracking is not allowed. I want to give the steering committee time and space to consider the possibility of producing an interim report. The committee has produced a significant body of work and the research has been conducted on a joint basis. I have long been an advocate of North-South co-operation and I am delighted that universities in Ulster, the British Geological Survey, UCD and the EPA are sitting around a table examining this research. We will learn from that and I am asking and encouraging the EPA and the steering committee to produce an interim report at the end of January.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Amec Foster Wheeler is a member of a pro-fracking coalition. It has a hopeless conflict of interest, as has CDM Smith given it is a former member of that coalition and its primary business is with large oil and gas companies. How can the Minister of State seriously suggest they can give independent assistance in looking into this issue? Is it not beyond question that fracking, which will produce more gas, will contribute to global warming? Why would we not just stop it now?

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The company was selected independently and the EPA dealt with that at the joint committee meeting.