Bill to Ban Fracking one step closer to becoming law

Friends of the Earth
Press Release
12 Apr 2017

Bill to Ban Fracking one step closer to becoming law

Campaigners welcome Oireachtas Committee Report on the proposed Bill to Ban Fracking

Environmental campaigners from Friends of the Earth and Love Leitrim welcome the Oireachtas Committee report launched today on the detailed scrutiny of the proposed Bill to Ban Fracking. The campaigners fought with Mr Frackhead, a large puppet representing the corporate fossil fuel lobby outside the Dail today to demonstrate their support for the Bill to ban fracking, and to show there is no place for fossil fuels in Ireland's future.

Kate Ruddock, Deputy Director at Friends of the Earth, said,

            “We welcome the report from the Oireachtas Committee today which clearly sets out its support for the proposed Bill to Ban Fracking in Ireland, and in particular we welcome the comments from the Committee members and the Committee Chair that this Bill is high on the priority list and should be passed through the Dail before the Summer Recess”.

            “We welcome the Committee’s recognition that fracking could have a harmful effect on the environment and humans and that any investment in fossil fuels would reduce investment in sustainable sources of energy”

“it is striking that of the 8,000 submissions received in relation to this Bill, only one was in favour of fracking”

The report, which is based on a public consultation and presentations made to the Committee over the past few months, recommends that the Bill be passed into law with only minor technical amendments.  In particular the details of any penalties or fines for not complying with this law need to be worked out further. 

‘The Prohibition of the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016” was introduced as a Private Members Bill by Tony McLoughlin TD and received unanimous support in a Dail vote in October 2016.

When it becomes law Tony McLoughlin's Bill will prohibit the extraction of oil and gas from areas where in Ireland where it would need to be fracked to be taken out of the ground such as the shale deposits across Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.  

Kate Ruddock continued,

“We are mindful of Ireland’s commitments in relation to climate change mitigation and a zero carbon energy future.  When this Bill becomes law it will represent a major step in the direction of a fossil fuel free Ireland”

ENDS

 

The report is available to download from here

The Prohibition of the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroluem Bill 2016 is available to download from here