Council urged to support fracking-free logo

SUPPORT for keeping Clare ‘Guaranteed Fracking Free’ was voiced by members of the Environmental and Water Services Strategic Policy Committee this week. At the meeting on Monday Kilmaley-based anti-fracking campaigner Sarah Akamine highlighted her concerns about the controversial means of extracting natural gas from rock.

Sarah has devised a ‘Keep Ireland Fracking Free’ and ‘Guaranteed Fracking Free’ logo campaign, which she is urging Clare County Council to support. She told the meeting that rather than create jobs, the fracking process could in fact end up with job losses in the county.
“Ireland’s clean environment and green image are priceless assets for Irish businesses, especially in the tourism and agri-food sectors,” she said. “This campaign is a way of celebrating and promoting Ireland’s present fracking-free state,” she continued.
“The argument on behalf of fracking is that it is a means of job creation. But there are places such as Loop Head where there are sustainable jobs in the agriculture and tourism sectors that need protection.
“The value of keeping places like this free from fracking is more beneficial to the area in the future. There are tourists coming from the US to Clare, nobody living on the East coast of the US doesn’t know what fracking is and are they going to want to come to places that are being destroyed like the places they have left behind?
“We all know the image American tourists have of Ireland but we can kiss stone walls goodbye if fracking is introduced as the vehicles are too big to travel on those roads.”
She explained that the logo is available freely for download by anyone who wants to promote Ireland’s fracking-free status.
In November, Councillor Johnny Flynn had proposed that Clare County Council consider supporting the logo campaign. At this week’s meeting he urged that the council adopt the fracking-free logo.
“Experts in the UK who are pro-fracking have admitted that the earthquake in Blackpool two years ago was a direct result of fracking,” he said.
He stated Clare’s geology is unique, adding, “Fracking would mean putting at risk our environment.
“I would be delighted if the council became part of the fracking-free campaign and I would urge Clare County Council to look at this seriously,” he said.
Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald recalled that members of Clare County Council voted against fracking in January.
“There are a lot of people out there who don’t want fracking, I am strongly against it,” he said.
Councillor Sean McLoughlin also voiced his opposition, however, he added that despite the consensus of the council “the Government can still come and override us”. He urged pressure be put on the Government to completely ban the practice.
Councillor Pat Burke commented, “The fall out from this would be disastrous for our overall encomony and agricultural economy”.
Councillor Michael Hillery also stated he was against fracking, outlining concerns about the potential for contamination of water supplies.
Last January, the council voted to ban fracking in its development plan, however senior planner Gordon Daly told this week’s SPC meeting that an examination of case law has shown that such a ban would be legally questionable.
He added that the current development plan already deals with all of the concerns that have been raised. He also stated that the Government will not allow fracking in Ireland as they await the publication of an EPA study.
The proposal to support the fracking-free logo is now set to be put before Clare County Council. Meanwhile, environmental activist Jessica Ernst will be at The Old Ground Hotel on Monday at 8pm where she will speak on Fracking Community.