Gordon Lyons has revealed the DUP supports a moratorium on fracking, gas and oil exploration in Northern Ireland.
The Economy Minister’s revelation came during debate on the second reading of Sinn Fein’s Fracking Bill on Tuesday night. It follows years of campaigns supported by Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo and US fracking experts.
Minister Lyons told MLAs his department has concluded its review into petroleum licensing in NI following a £66,000 report by industry experts.
He added: “On the 31st of January I circulated a paper to Executive colleagues outlining the position, not just on fracking, but on all onshore petroleum licensing activity.
“My paper recommended the Executive agree a preferred policy option of a moratorium on all forms of exploration and extraction of oil and gas to be followed by the introduction of a legislative ban.
“This would not only bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the United Kingdom on the issue of fracking but go further by legislating for all other types of petroleum exploration or extraction.”
While the proposed moratorium has not been approved by the Executive because of DUP First Minister Paul Givan’s resignation, Minister Lyons said: “The position of my party is therefore clear, both now and in any future Executive.
“And of course my proposed way forward will now require the agreement of a future Executive following which the preferred option will be subject to a public consultation.”
While the hard fought victory has been welcomed, Fermanagh based anti-fracking campaigner Dianne Little says there’s still work to be done as Stormont’s statutory duty remains one of gas promotion while NI’s petroleum laws were written in 1964.
She also fears that while Minister Lyons has clarified his position in part, questions remain around blue hydrogen development and the continued expansion of gas pipes to the west.
Ms Little told Belfast Live: “There was no need for all of this when you had 2,000 peer reviewed reports looking at the health impacts and the climate.
“My interest is in community health... the evidence was there so they shouldn’t have had to spend £66,000 on this [Hatch Regeneris] report... to consider the economic benefits of fracking... especially during a pandemic when appropriate engagement with communities was impossible.
“Before this research was commissioned the climate change evidence was beyond doubt.”
Now Minister Lyons has made his department and party position clear, Dianne has called on the Executive to “get on with it” as words without action are "no good".
Debate on Sinn Fein’s Fracking Bill at the Northern Ireland Assembly showed cross party support for a ban of both fracking and petroleum licensing.
Sinn Fein’s Aine Murphy introduced the proposed legislation, saying: “It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to leave the door open to fracking or other means of petroleum extraction whilst we are still setting targets to reduce our own carbon emissions.”
But Green Party MLA Rachel Woods added: “The Executive regularly speak of a commitment to phasing out fossil fuels yet we have failed to take this critical step.”
She also raised concerns about “proposals for blue hydrogen production - a fuel source shown to emit up to 20% higher emissions than gas” in NI’s new energy strategy.
Perhaps they will listen to Hollywood actor, Mark Ruffalo, who believes the Executive’s proposed Energy strategy “leaves the door open for fracking under the guise of so-called renewable gas and blue hydrogen”, she told members.
“We cannot allow this to happen.”
Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson hit out at the scope of Sinn Fein’s Fracking Bill, which he said “is narrow in definition” and “doesn’t for me or the Alliance Party meet the wider needs and objectives to absolutely demonstrate that there will be no further fossil fuel exploration in Northern Ireland”.
“I just wonder what exactly is going on and I hope the Bill sponsor will be able to explain some of the very narrow language that she has included in her Bill which seems to fail to hit the point of the whole purpose of dealing, not only with fracking, but also with the wider issue of fossil fuel exploration.”
Sinn Féin’s economy spokesperson MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said a ban on petroleum licensing should be brought forward as soon as possible.
The East Derry MLA said: “I welcome the comments from the economy minister in response to Sinn Féin’s anti-fracking bill clarifying his opposition to fracking and petroleum licensing.
“It is bitterly disappointing, however, that the DUP have collapsed the Executive so that ban cannot now be brought forward.
“The protection of our environment and of our communities must not become another casualty of the DUP’s electoral stunts.
“A ban on petroleum licensing must be delivered at the earliest opportunity.”
