Sir, – I am following with interest the story about Tamboran Resources’ assertion that there could be up to $55 billion worth of natural gas reserves trapped in the bedrock underneath Co Leitrim (Business, February 1st 2nd). I should point out that I am in no way associated with either side on this issue.
The timbre of the argument in favour of the issuing of a licence to Tamboran Resources for the extraction of this gas, seems to be meticulously focused on the potential financial benefit to the State and to Co Leitrim, as well as the potential for job creation the project would provide. In the current economic climate one can understand why these particular rationales are being lofted through media channels, although upon careful reading it becomes obvious that words like “could”, “estimate”, “intends”, “believes”, and “up to”, mean there are no actual commitments being made for anything.
I have also noted that in Ireland there seems to be a widely held view that any notions of the controversy surrounding the “fracking” technique itself emanate from a lunatic fringe element of serial protesters.
I first heard of "fracking" a couple of years ago when I saw the award-winning HBO documentary GasLand, which explores the alleged environmental consequences that the "fracking" process has had in the United States. I would suggest that the Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte, and the Environmental Protection Agency should watch this documentary, if they have not already done so. I would also suggest that, in the context of provoking a rigorous debate about the short- and long-term benefits or costs of this issue, the film could also be aired in a prime time slot by Irish broadcasters so as large a number of citizens as possible can see the debate from all of its angles.
My own view would be that, allowing for even modest rates of validity in the claims made in this documentary film, the environmental and long-term economic costs could be tremendous. – Yours, etc,