This article is from page 4 of the 2013-01-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
WEST Clare landowners will not receive any financial payments if fracking is allowed to take place in the Clare Basin.
That is according to Clare Fracking Concerned, who say that Compulsory Access Orders will be used to give companies, such as UK-based Enegie Oil, access to lands rather than Compulsory Purchase Orders. The group also said yesterday that a change to the County Development Plan to ban fracking – which was unanimously voted in be councillors earlier this year – should go ahead, even if it would have little or no legal standing.
“The change to the development plan should go ahead no matter what as it was voted on unanimously by all the public representatives in Clare,” said Clare Fracking Concerned spokesperson, Róisín Ní Gháirbhith.
“However there are far more important things that people in Clare need to be aware of. Farmers will not benefit financially [from fracking], but rather there will be Compulsory Access Orders served to them that will allow Enegie Oil to access their land for free.
“The shale gas in Clare is also shallower than other places – it is only 700 meters down. This greatly increases the chances of our aquifers and waters being polluted by fracking fluids and methane gas.”
Earlier this year Donegal County Council began the process of changing its County Development Plan to include a ban on fracking. According to Director of Services for Planning at Clare County Council, Ger Dollard, a similar move in Clare could create a “false sense of security” for people opposed to fracking in Clare.
“The council is fully conscious of the issue and the genuine concerns expressed by the elected members. We are aware from media reports of proposals for changes to Donegal CDP but such media reports also refer to the legality of any such moves. The council’s view is that the CDP as presently drafted is strong in terms of environmental objectives and these can address and deal with any issues arising on the process of fracking,” said Mr Dollard.
“There is little point of inserting something into the County Development Plan [CDP] that won’t legally stand up and would only serve to create a false sense of security for all involved.
“The national question regarding fracking has first of all to be determined, at which point the council will then be able to conclusively decide if it has any role in the process and if so how should that role be handled within the CDP on a basis that will stand up to legal challenge.”