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A COUNTY COUNCILLOR has said he has “serious concerns” over proposals to extract gas from rock seams under the Lough Allen basin.
Fine Gael’s Enda McGloin expressed fears over the environmental consequences of drilling for gas in the Leitrim area. It is thought that the gas reserves contained in shale rocks far below the surface would most likely be tapped by the controversial ‘fracking’ process, in which the rock is fractured at high pressure to drive out the gas.
Fracking in the US has been the subject of high-profile protests and a film, Gasland, which purports to show householders setting tap water alight after it became contaminated with methane. In Ireland, energy firms Tamboran Resources and Langco (Lough Allen Natural Gas Company) have been licensed to carry out initial studies on the viability of gas extraction in parts of Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo.
Mr McGloin told TheJournal.ie that if the firms are given the go-ahead to extract gas, “one of the methods that may possibly be involved is fracking. I would have serious concerns.
I’ve seen the film and I’ve read about it and I have concerns because of what has happened in countries like France, the US, England. I’d be very interested to hear companies coming forward with their view on how they would do it, how they would extract the gas.
However, he added that protesters who gathered outside Leitrim County Council offices last month were being “premature to say the least”. “I don’t want the situation which I think some people are trying to create, where there is a frenzy of fear,” he said. “In my view, with the licenses these people have, there is no immediate danger to the environment.”
Leitrim County Council has invited Tamboran Resources and Langco to make representations explaining their plans. Asked if either firm had responded, the council said it was “expected” that the companies would do so “at a future date”.
In a statement, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources told TheJournal.ie that the firms in question are currently only licensed to carry out desktop studies and geological sampling. If the companies apply for exploration licenses and propose fracking for gas, “that activity would be subject to an environmental impact assessment, including an appropriate public consultation phase.”
Latest estimates suggest that rock strata under the Lough Allen basin contain 9.4trillion cubic metres of gas – worth around €120billion at current market prices.
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The Russians use the argument, that the crimean population is largely ethnically russian and crimea was always russian. Much like the excuse the British use for occupying the North. If only Coveney was so blunt about the occupation of part of our country by a foreign country.
@Welk wrangler: ““I am glad also to be part of the international community which has convened to co-ordinate efforts to resolve the long-standing issue of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol,” he said.”
A good bit late there Simon, Crimea was annexed 7 years ago, there is no resolving it now, it belongs to Russia, if you mean you are part of international community who is going to have a talking shop with junkets and expenses then yes, off you toddle.
@Welk wrangler: There is not foreign occupation of any part of our country. Northern Ireland not part of the Republic it is its own country. Only thing in common is the 2 countries share an island.
@Roy Dowling: Spoken like a true Fine Gaeler
@Roy Dowling: you’re totally wrong there. Ireland is Ireland and the six counties are occupied. It’s not British, it’s Irish soil, occupied by an Empire that is crumbling
@Michael Kehoe: Roy does not like to hear that . As West Brit as they come, our Roy
@Welk wrangler: I’m not sure that is factual. I maybe wrong but as far as I’m aware Crimea was part of Russia and was only given to Ukraine by President Nikita Khrushchev after the death of Stalin. Chances are most citizens are ethnic Russia.
@Michael Kehoe: does the good friday agreement state a recognition of two states
Excellent news!
Very misleading headline.
Surely it’s not Coveney that’s opening it.. its the Dept of Foreign Affairs that’s doing it and paying for it.
@Seoirse Ó Staighe: Incorrect- it is a political decision to open any embassy. The staff in the DoFA are civil servants and answer to the current minister.
Any chance he could forget about the PR stunts and answer a few questions here? FG have kept him out of the limelight for long enough.
@alan: Err- he is the minister for Foreign Affairs. The word ‘foreign’ is the clue there.
Why on earth are we opening an embassy in Ukraine?
Do we have significant trade, cultural or other links with this country? Greater than with many other countries?
If not then it’s just a snub to the Russians and to lick the boots of the US.
have your say