Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2014
33. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide assurances to Dáil Éireann that due to the serious risk associated with fracking that because of our dependence on tourism and agriculture and also the health implications for the population, that a company (details supplied) will not be granted an exploration licence; and that this matter of fracking will end. [47122/14]
View answerI, Ministers and my predecessor as Minister of State at the Department of Communications Energy and Natural resources have outlined on a number of occasions that no decision will be made on any proposal for the use of hydraulic fracturing in exploration drilling as part of an unconventional gas exploration programme, until there has been time to complete and consider the outcome of a major research programme, directed at examining the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing, which has been commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
