Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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33. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his Department's role in awarding a contract to a company (details supplied) to carry out a two-year investigation into the safety of hydraulic fracturing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16288/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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As part of its statutory remit, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides, when requestedby a Minister of the Government, information or advice or makes recommendations for the purposes of environmental protection to any Minister on any matter relating to his functions or responsibilities. The former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Pat Rabbitte, requested such advice from the EPA with respect to the potential environmental impacts from unconventional gas exploration and exploitation.

Pursuant to this request the EPA established a Steering Group to determine the scope of the research to be undertaken. Membership of this Committee includes representatives from amongst others, the EPA, my Department, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Commission for Energy Regulation, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The draft terms of reference drawn up by this Committee for the research programme were subsequently the subject of a public consultation process. Key among the responses received was a request that human health be included in the scope of the research project. This request was been accepted and a member from the Health Services Executive has joined the Steering Group.

The contract was awarded following a robust evaluation process in full compliance with procurement guidelines. The contract award procedure chosen for this competition was by open procedure. Six tenders were received. The Evaluation panel was constituted to include personnel with the capacity to make informed decisions on the tenders received. The constitution of the evaluation panel was approved by the project Steering Committee.

This research programme is a multi-agency transboundary programme of research on the potential impacts on the environment and human health from Unconventional Gas Exploration & Extraction projects/operations. It is co-funded by the EPA, my Department and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. My Department is represented on the Steering Group which was responsible for the award of the contract and which is overseeing the project and my officials are engaged in the review of the work being produced by the consortium of consultants engaged to carry out the research programme.