Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht to discuss controversial issue of ‘fracking’

Representatives from environmental organisation An Taisce, exploration company Tamboran and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources will attend the Committee meeting to provide members with information on the environmental impact of ‘fracking’, a method of extracting natural gas or shale gas from rock layers by pumping pressurised fluid into bore holes.

Committee Vice Chairman, Noel Coonan TD said: “There is no doubt that fracking is a controversial, emotive and divisive issue. So far, a number of onshore petroleum licensing options have been awarded to three companies for the Lough Allen and Clare basins which will allow those companies to carry shallow geological sampling but not fracking at this stage.

A briefing paper for this committee on ‘fracking’ noted that many shale deposits are under aquifers and that the technique could release extraction chemicals into them.

Nevertheless, it is important that the committee receives all relevant information on this contentious issue at this early stage and gets the perspective of all those involved and we are happy that representatives from one of the exploration companies, An Taisce and the Department have agreed to appear before the committee. Environmentalists and locals have raised concerns about the possible pollution of the water table, while Tamboran has said it is committed to community consultation and protection of groundwater from possible contamination. An Taisce has argued that no licences for ‘fracking’ should be issued until the State adequately examines all the risks and ensures that appropriate enforceable safeguards are in place. It has called on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte TD, to organise a public consultation to explain the current situation and possible future scenarios.

Our meeting tomorrow will allow all sides of the debate to address this issue and enable members of the committee to examine the practice from all angles. It will also provide members of the Committee with an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns they may have on the practice of ‘fracking’.”

This meeting will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, 20th September, in Committee Room 4, Leinster House 2000 at 2.30pm.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/livewebcast/Web-Live.htm&CatID=83&m=o

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee Membership

Deputies:

Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party (Chairman)
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent
 
Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamonn Coghlan, Independent