Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the research that will be undertaken by him into all relevant implications of exploration by commercial interests for natural gas here using techniques called hydraulic fracturing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13583/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Earlier this year, my Department granted onshore Petroleum Licensing Options to three companies over parts of the North West Carboniferous and the Clare Basins. The Licensing Options specifically exclude exploration drilling but may include shallow geological sampling. The Options are designed to allow the companies assess the natural gas potential of their acreage largely based on desktop studies of existing data from previous petroleum exploration activity.

Exploration activity under these authorisations is at an early stage and there is no certainty that it will lead to applications for follow-on exploration licences that would be required before exploration wells could be drilled. In the event hydraulic fracturing was envisaged as part of a possible future exploration or production programme, then that activity would be subject to an environmental impact assessment, including an appropriate public consultation phase.