by Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams
Friday, August 15, 2014
No to Fracking
Last month I headed
down to Carrick-on- Shannon in county Leitrim for a public meeting on the
impact of the Irish government’s austerity policies on rural communities and
families. It was a warm summer evening with a clear blue sky for most of the
way there. Carrick-on-Shannon was quiet but the public meeting was packed to
the doors.
Later we drove to
Monaghan along dark windy roads crisscrossing the border. Leitrim is one of our
most underrated counties. Fewer mobile phone calls than usual meant I had an
opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the countryside.
Last week I was just
across the border from Leitrim in Derrylin in county Fermanagh for the national
hunger strike march and rally. Like its Leitrim neighbour Fermanagh is a
wonderful county – stunning scenery, lots of small and large lakes and
countless rivers all feeding into the Shannon river basin. Small towns and
villages are connected by twisting narrow roads.
For several decades
the road network was broken by British Army border crossings and roads that
were blocked with concrete blocks. The adverse impact on the local economy was
considerable.
Today Leitrim and
Fermanagh like all of the border counties suffer from higher than average
levels of unemployment and poverty, poor road systems, a lack of investment and
inadequate public services. Both are very dependent on farming and tourism to
provide jobs.
When the Derrylin
event was over local MP Michelle Gildernew climbed into our car and directed us
to an old quarry some miles away at Belcoo where Australian shale gas
exploration company Tamboran is planning to drive a bore hole over 700 feet
into the underground rock in search of gas.
The search for gas from
shale is focused on the north-west carboniferous basin which covers Leitrim,
Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Cavan, Donegal and Fermanagh. It covers an area of some
8,000 square kilometres and is the source of two of the islands largest water
systems, the Shannon and the Erne.
When we arrived at
the Belcoo site we were met by local activists who are camping outside the
entrance to Tamboran’s camp protesting the use of fracking to extract shale
gas. The gates to the quarry are covered in posters and slogans and one large
sign proclaims it to be the ‘Gates of Hell’.
As well as the local
activists there are also a large number of PSNI officers on duty, directing
traffic and monitoring developments. Local MLA Phil Flanagan joined us as did
Sandra McLellan TD and Michael Colreavy TDS. In a large tent across from the
gates the anti-fracking activists make tea and coffee and there are sandwiches
available for protestors and visitors. The atmosphere is relaxed, welcoming,
but there is a clear determination among all of those in the Belcoo camp to
oppose fracking.
What is fracking? It is
a means of extracting natural gas trapped in layers of sedimentary rock between
one and two kilometres beneath the surface. Horizontal wells are drilled into
which a mixture of water and sand and chemicals are forced at high pressure.
This fractures the rock and allows gas to seep into the wells where it makes
its way to the surface for collection and distribution. An average well will
use up to 20,000 cubic metres of water. Of these high volumes of millions of
gallons of water about a third, containing treatments, sands and other
chemicals, is returned to the surface where it has to be disposed of.
Fracking is a hugely
controversial method of extracting gas. In 2011 at our Ard Fheis Sinn Féin
discussed the use of fracking, listened to the arguments and passed a motion
stating our opposition to it and our “full support to local communities who are
opposed to this unsafe procedure.”
As a process it has
been banned in several European countries, including France and Bulgaria, and
there is credible evidence of damage to drinking water; to human health and to
animal health. It can cause serious environmental pollution, is a significant
and dangerous threat to our countryside and can damage fish stocks. There is
evidence that fracking was responsible for several small earthquakes in the
north of England several years ago.
Fracking poses a very
real risk to the success of our farming industry, and to the health and safety
of rural communities, across the island of Ireland, as well as undermining our
tourism industry. In addition to the dangers posed by the drilling and
extraction processes there is significant disruption to local communities by
lorries full of materials regularly entering and leaving the fracking site.
In January 2011 the
British based Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research published a report, Shale
gas: a provisional assessment of climate change and environmental impacts. The
report set out concerns about ground and surface water contamination, possibly
even affecting quality of drinking water and wetland habitats, depending on
factors such as the connection between ground and surface waters.
The report noted that: “The
depth of shale gas extraction gives rise to major challenges in identifying
categorically pathways of contamination of groundwater by chemicals used in the
extraction process. An analysis of these substances suggests that many have
toxic, carcinogenic or other hazardous properties. There is considerable
anecdotal evidence from the US that contamination of both ground and surface
water has occurred in a range of cases.”
Fracking is not the
answer to the energy needs of the island of Ireland and the farmers of
Fermanagh have given a lead by signing a pledge that they will not allow
fracking on their land.
Renewable sources of
energy must remain the main focus for the future. Tidal, hydro, wind and
biomass all have the potential to satisfy Ireland and Europe’s energy demands.
There was widespread
public concern at Tamboran’s drilling. The announcement on Monday by the
Minister for the Environment that Tamboran's proposal to drill a core of rock
from Cleggan Quarry would require a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
and planning permission, is a welcome decision. Public concern had been
heightened by the north’s Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment’s, DUP
Minister Arlene Foster’s decision to award the licence without any public
debate.
I want to commend the
efforts of local communities and of my party colleagues who have consistently
raised their concerns about fracking. The threat to the people and environment
of Fermanagh and Leitrim and surrounding counties remains high and we must all
remain vigilant.
The focus will now
shift to the Irish government and to the decision by the previous Fianna Fáil
government to permit fracking licence options to Tamboran Resources and The
Lough Allen Natural Gas Company, and the failure of the Fine Gael and Labour to
put a halt to proceedings.
Let me be clear; Sinn Féin is opposed to fracking north and south
and we will use our political strength to resist it. If any application is made
for fracking Sinn Féin will be bringing it to the Executive to oppose it.
Sinn Féin Mountmellick – Serving The Community
“World leaders will be making their voices heard – it is vital
that the voice of millions around the world who need peace and justice is also
heard.”
