Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 13, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following:“(12) A petroleum undertaking shall not use the method of flaring of gas.

(13) A petroleum undertaking shall not use unconventional methods of gas exploration or extraction.”.

The flaring of gas from petroleum rings has been banned in Norway for many years as it has been seen as a waste of natural resources and releases an unnecessary level of CO₂emissions into the atmosphere. It was recommended by the Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture report on oil and gas published in 2012 that this practice should be banned. The first part of the amendment seeks to ensure this method is not used in petroleum undertakings.

The second part of the amendment refers to fracking. It is a dangerous method of extracting shale gas from rock. The practice has been illegal in the state of New York and everywhere it has been introduced it has been dogged by controversy. It should not be allowed in Ireland. In recent times, the proposal to introduce fracking for the extraction of shale gas in the north west has been dogged by controversy. These amendments have been tabled to ensure that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources makes sure this petroleum undertaking does not use unconventional methods of extraction.

Fracking is an unsafe means of extracting shale gas and could have a serious impact on people's health, the environment and the agricultural industry. It is important that we stop it in its infancy and make sure that any proposals for fracking are stopped as soon as possible. It makes sense not just for the environment, but for the economy. Inserting the amendment into the Bill would be a pre-emptive strike and would ban fracking. It is particularly important when one considers the concerns surrounding TTIP, the ISDS and other such issues.