FG TD Tony McLoughlin (Sligo) introduces Bill to Ban Fracking in Ireland

The FG TD Tony McLoughlin has tabled a private members bill to ban fracking. There have been two previous motions to ban fracking, the first by People Before Profit and the second by Sinn Fein. However, this third attempt has come from an unexpected quarter -from within the ranks of FG itself. Deputy McLoughlin is indeed correct to want to ban fracking as basically all it does is pollutes the water table indefinitely over a huge area for paltry amounts of gas causing far more harm than good.

It will be interesting to see if the rest of the FG party supports this motion. What it does show is that the current situation where we have a 'weak' government actually makes for a far more democratic government because it appears TDs have more leeway to actually represent their consitutents whereas when a government has a majority the party whip dictates and initiatives such as this would never see the light of day and deputies would end up being indirectly forced to support the corporate and banking agenda that ultimately sets the ideological agenda of the party and party apparatus

Who knows what will happen next. Perhaps we will have government TDs stating their complete opposition to the EU-US TTIP agreement which the FG party itself backs wholeheartedly.

In a statement released on Facebook on June 8th, Deputy McLoughlin stated:

Tonight I introduced my 'Prohibition of the Exploration and Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016' In Dáil Éireann.

This Bill has one simple goal. That is to protect Ireland's onshore and internal waters, our climate and environment and as such the public health of all our citizens in the Republic of Ireland.

This Bill has been proposed with the full support of my constituents in both Sligo and Leitrim who would be the people most effected from this type of process.

Press Release on June 6th - McLoughlin to Submit Private Members Bill which seeks to Prohibit Onshore Fracking
http://www.tonymcloughlintd.ie/fracking_legislation

Fine Gael T.D. for Sligo – Leitrim Tony McLoughlin has begun the process of developing new legislation which he hopes will result in the prohibiting of the exploration and extraction of petroleum from shale rock, tight sands and coal seams in the Irish onshore and Ireland's internal waters.

“As a T.D. for counties which would be decimated if fracking was allowed to occur, I want to see action on this issue by the new Government” stated McLoughlin.

“The decision process with relation to formulating Government policy on fracking has gone on too long in my opinion and we now are in a position where we need to take action on the issue”.

“There is clear evidence already in the public domain about the damaging effects of this practice of extraction”. “We are also aware that the basin in Ireland is too shallow for it to be conducted safely and without damage to the environment”.

“Several Common Law Jurisdictions, similar to our own, have already taken legislative steps to ban the practice”. “I now want Ireland and this Government to follow this international trend and quickly”.

“There are some very worrying developments occurring in Northern Ireland with regard to fracking, which both Sinn Féin or the DUP have not been able to prevent”. “I do not want to see a similar situation occur in this State”.

“With regard to the Private Members Bill I am submitting, I have received technical advice as to the wording of this Bill from experts in the field, which will hopefully enable it to pass through the pre-legislative scrutiny element very quickly”.

I have also wrote to the new Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Denis Naughton T.D. to suggest to him to consider implementing this legislation which would prohibiting fracking from occurring in the Republic of Ireland.

Ends

Documents:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=33136&&CatID=59

http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/3...d.pdf

http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/3...o.pdf

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Previous Motions to Ban Fracking:
FIRST MOTION TO BAN FRACKING WAS BY PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT
http://www.peoplebeforeprofit.ie/2016/05/people-before-...king/
“Towards the end of the 31st Dáil we in People Before Profit, along with Friends of the Earth, put forward the Prohibition of Hydraulic Fracturing Bill 2015. We intend on moving this bill as soon as we can in the Dáil."

SINN FEIN FOLLOWED http://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/26120