Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address the lack of inclusion of a ban on fracked gas in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21693/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 177 together. The Programme for Government sets out that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas and commits to developing a policy statement to establish that approach.

My Department is in the process of developing the policy statement, which includes the consideration of any necessary legal and regulatory provisions. This includes detailed examination of the European energy and environmental frameworks, in which our national laws operate, to ensure the policy statement will be legally robust. In this regard my Department is actively engaged with the Office of the Attorney General to conclude the matter as a priority. It would be premature to consider specific legislative provisions in advance of this.

I intend to bring the policy statement to Government for approval as soon as the necessary work outlined above is concluded.  The policy statement will be published once approved.