Written answers

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Departmental Agencies

9:00 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm who will carry out the report into the practice of fracking on his behalf; the qualifications of this person; the report's terms of reference; and if external organisations will be in a position to make submissions. [8797/12]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I can inform the Deputy that in October of last year, Minister Rabbitte requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research and advise on the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves.

The EPA is currently funding preliminary background research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction and into the regulatory approaches of other countries with a view to helping to establish best environmental practice. This research is in the form of a desk based study being carried out by the University of Aberdeen. The EPA proposes to commission further, more extensive research on hydraulic fracturing in 2012 and a working group involving representatives from my Department and the EPA has been established to develop the scope for this study. However, the final specification for this research will only be prepared after the EPA, which is an independent statutory body, has considered the output from the study currently underway at the University of Aberdeen.

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