Ireland Fracking: Bill banning onshore fracking passed by Dáil

A fracking facility in Preston: Ireland will join four other EU member states – Scotland, France, Germany and Bulgaria – and regions of a number of countries in banning fracking on land on land. Photograph: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

THE IRISH TIMES

BY Marie O´Halloran

MAY 31, 2017

No offshore ban as Richard Boyd Barrett accuses Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil of ‘political machinations’

Ireland has moved a step closer to banning onshore hydraulic fracturing after the Dáil passed a Fine Gael private member’s Bill, one of the first to pass in the Dáil in this administration to ban the practice.

A number of environmental groups including Love Leitrim watched proceedings from the visitors’ gallery and applauded when the Bill was passed.

The legislation now goes to the Seanad and if passed, the State will join three other EU member states – France, Germany and Bulgaria – and regions of a number of countries in banning the practice on land.

But People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett who wanted the ban on the practice extended offshore, accused Fine Gael and Fianna Fail of “political machinations”.

Mr Boyd Barrett claimed the two parties had made a political decision that they did not want the ban to extend offshore “because our friends in the oil and gas industry would not like that”.

Withdraw amendments

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin called on People Before Profit, Independents4Change and the Green Party to withdraw their amendments on banning fracking off-shore to ensure the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Prohibition of Onshore Hydraulic Fracturing) Bill 2016 was passed.

Sinn Féin environment spokesman Brian Stanley said his party was withdrawing its amendment so as not to hold up the legislation. “The immediate task is to try and secure a ban on fracking within the 26 counties”. He said it would be a mistake to hold the legislation up for months or years with an offshore ban.

The Green Party which last week accepted the legislation should deal with the onshore ban, introduced an amendment to ban offshore fracking. All amendments to ban offshore exploration and fracking were defeated.

Mr Boyd Barrett said it was a historic development that a ban would be imposed but “we see no reason why the arguments that apply to onshore fracking would not apply offshore”….

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