Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he and his Department intend to monitor development and progress of mining or other exploration techniques such as fracking; the extent to which the procedure is practiced globally and with what effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13124/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he has discussed with his EU colleagues the various mining or exploration procedures currently deemed acceptable in respect of oil, gas or other exploration; the results of any studies of the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13125/12]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together.

I would like to advise the Deputy in the first instance that in relation to the specific issue of the potential use of hydraulic fracturing technology as part of a gas exploration or extraction project, my Department has not received applications for nor licensed the use of hydraulic fracturing in the Irish onshore at this time. I can advise the Deputy however that the European Commission has issued a Guidance Note confirming that the exploration and exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbons has to comply with the requirements of EU legislation. A comprehensive legislative framework on environmental protection and access to hydrocarbon resources is already in place throughout Member States and applies to all hydrocarbons, conventional and unconventional from planning to the aftercare of sites following exploitation.

I would also like to confirm that in October of last year, the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte requested the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct research and to 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. I understand that the EPA expects to receive the report of that study in the coming weeks.