Minister for Climate, Environment and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD announced a new policy statement that will prevent Ireland from importing fracked gas.
The statement, which has been approved by Government, makes it clear that it would not be appropriate to permit or proceed with the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland, including the Shannon LNG project, pending the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems.
Brian Leddin TD and Green Party Spokesperson for Transport, Climate Action and Environment said: "The announcement provides strong reassurance that Ireland will not import fracked gas, as Ireland moves towards carbon neutrality. The Green Party secured this commitment as part of the Programme for Government negotiations. Ireland will become a leader on the world stage with our ambitious Climate Action Bill currently going through the Dáil and we are now at the forefront internationally of the phasing out of fracked gas."
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The policy statement states that:
• pending the outcome of a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems being carried out by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, it would not be appropriate for the development of any LNG terminals in Ireland to be permitted or proceeded with
• the Government will work with like-minded European States to promote and support changes to European energy laws – in particular the upcoming revision of the European Union’s Gas Directive and Gas Regulation – in order to allow the importation of fracked gas to be restricted
• the Government will work with international partners to promote the phasing out of fracking at an international level within the wider context of the phasing out of fossil fuel extraction.
Green Party Senator and anti-fracking campaigner Róisín Garvey added: "Fracked gas has hugely damaging effects on both the global climate and the local environment where the fracking takes place. Through Minister Eamon Ryan's Department, Ireland has already banned the use of fracking for the extraction of natural gas onshore and ended the issuing of new exploration licences for oil or natural gas offshore."
