Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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604. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason Queen's University in Belfast has withdrawn from the Environmental Protection Agency’s study into hydraulic fracturing; if he is aware of the fact that the lack of engagement by independent researchers in providing oversight undermines the credibility of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40691/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, staff from Queens University Belfast were intended to contribute to the Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction (UGEE) Joint Research Programme (JRP) Project A1 (Groundwater, Surface Water & Associated Ecosystems). Specifically:

- Three researchers in the Queens University Belfast Groundwater Group were proposed to work on a number of Project A1 tasks (leading tasks 2 & 7 and supporting other tasks); and

- A full time Queens University Belfast academic was nominated as part of the technical review team (internal review process carried out by a Consortium comprising of CDM Smith, the British Geological Survey, University College Dublin, Ulster University, AMEC Foster Wheeler and Philip Lee Solicitors, before submission to the UGEE JRP Steering Committee) for Project A1.

Upon appointment, Queens University Belfast decided that the three researchers would not be able to fulfil their agreed responsibilities on project A1. However, a full time academic from Queens University Belfast has undertaken a review role in full on Project A1 as proposed in the tender.

While an internal review process is carried out by the Consortium as a Quality Control process before submission of any interim/final deliverables of the UGEE JRP, all outputs are reviewed by a Technical Review Group which includes the UGEE JRP Steering Committee and other external experts such as the Environmental Protection Agency; the Geological Survey of Ireland; An Bord Pleanála; Northern Ireland Environment Agency; ETH Zürich and University College Cork. The Technical Review Group process is fully independent of the internal quality control process put in place by the Consortium.