Mid-Ulster Council say no to ‘fracking’

Sinn Fein councillor Phelim Gildernew stressed if it got the planning go-ahead in Fermanagh then exploration could spread to the Clogher Valley and Lough Neagh basins.

He told members on Thursday night that his area was close to the Fermanagh border and he knew the people there were devastated at what was going on.

Councillor Gildernew was proposing a Sinn Fein motion calling on the council to “immediately adopt a position of totally opposing shale gas exploration and extraction by the process of hydraulic fracturing known as ‘fracking’ on the island of Ireland.”

DUP councillor Paul McLean said his party were not opposed to ‘fracking’ and suggested there could be benefits.

UUP councillor Robert Mulligan cautioned they did not have any proof that some of the charges made against ‘fracking’ would stand up.

He pointed out that the council did not have any authority in the matter as it would be decided by the Department of Environment.