AUDIO: Anti-fracking protest in Enniskillen

Rodney Edwards • Published 4 Feb 2012 15:20 8 Comments

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Protesting against fracking in Enniskillen today. Photo by John McVitty.

Coverage in words, sound and pictures.

UP to 100 anti-fracking demonstrators took to the rain-soaked streets of Enniskillen this afternoon to protest at news that test drilling for shale gas could start here next year.

Waving placards and banners, men and women from across Fermanagh, Leitrim, Roscommon, Cavan, Sligo, Clare, Wicklow and Donegal called on politicians on both sides of the Border to step in and halt the controversial proposals.

There were even calls for Stormont Minister Arlene Foster - who issued the licence to energy company Tamboran Resources to carry out initial studies - to reject the idea, and cries of 'Arlene, Arlene, no fracking way' could be heard across the town.

As revealed first on impartialreporter.com last week energy company Tamboran Resources says initial studies show there is the potential for the production of up to 2.2 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in Fermanagh. This, they say, could provide 600 full time jobs and up to 2,400 indirect jobs and deliver natural gas energy security to the area for the next 50 years.

But how does it work? Well, shale gas which is trapped in rocks underground can be released by fracturing rocks using high-pressured water, sand and chemicals, and critics say this is potentially "very dangerous". They believe the chemicals could contaminate water supply, and be harmful to health and the environment - something Tamboran disputes.

And that's what today's protest was all about - to highlight those apparent concerns.

Speaking to impartialreporter.com, Unison representative Benny Cassidy, said: "I am no stranger to protesting; I think it's important that the people of Fermanagh understand the risks and the implications involved in fracking. I think that's what's wrong - there is too much miss-information".

Paul McGovern from Belcoo said he was "very concerned" at the potential risks of fracking to the Fermanagh people, and the landscape while Leah Doherty from No Fracking Ireland described it as an "all-Ireland issue".

"We are here today because this is a cross-Border issue, it's an all-Ireland issue. If this goes ahead in Fermanagh it could do so much damage to the water supply. We are here to send a very clear message to Arlene Foster that this is an all-Ireland issue. We are calling on a ban on fracking," she said.

Owen Brady added: "I don't think the current legislation we have in place can deal adequately with the significant threats and health posed by hydraulic fracturing".

Sinn Fein MLA Phil Flanagan who joined colleague Sean Lynch in holding a banner and protesting, said: "We can't afford to let this go ahead".

Meanwhile Tamboran Rescources say they are confident they can "commercially develop" the project across the whole of Northern Ireland. They say the process is safe, and are pledging to invest six billion pounds into hydraulic fracturing.

However, Dr. Tony Bazley from Tamboran has cautiously stated that before any test drilling could commence the company would need to get planning permission first.

LISTEN to more audio from today's protest below:

AUDIO: "Arlene, Arlene no fracking away". A message to Arlene Foster from anti-fracking groups in #Enniskilen now. boo.fm/b653423
- Rodney Edwards (@rodneyedwards) February 4, 2012

Audioboo: Vox Pop - #frackingprotest boo.fm/b653435
- Rodney Edwards (@rodneyedwards) February 4, 2012

Audioboo: Vox pop: Benny Cassidy, anti-fracking protest boo.fm/b653413 #antifracking
- Rodney Edwards (@rodneyedwards) February 4, 2012

Vox pop #3 #frackingprotest boo.fm/b653447, via Audioboo app
- Rodney Edwards (@rodneyedwards) February 4, 2012

For full coverage of today's fracking protest, including additional interviews and photographs check out next week's Impartial Reporter. You can also join the discussion on www.twitter.com/impartialrep and www.twitter.com/rodneyedwards.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 04 Feb 12

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

caitey
3 posts
Feb 4, 21:03
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Yes I am sure lots of you who were in Enniskillen have protested before & are no strangers to protesting..

Suppose you were in Mayo as Well over the Gas Field????????

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Enniskillen
4 posts
Feb 5, 13:40
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Has any of these protestors every actually been on a gas well where it was drilled or Fracked. The people leading this protect object to everything always. Why?

An investment company coming to any country has a choice, to spend hard earned cash TRYING to see if there are possibilities.

I would suggest that the protestors get properly informed. Much drilling has taken place in Cavan / Fermanagh / Leitrim and lots of other counties and there were NO provable, producible reserves for Natural Gas. Gas has to be found first, this takes huge investment in science and drilling. That is a bit like a needle in a haystack, then and only then under strict conditions can fracking tack place but only if and when drills show that gas could exist commercially.

It is always easy to jump on bandwagons and say NO without being informed.

Also please consider each time you use gas to cook, or fuel for you vehicle where has it come from? In many cases it is Russia and tens of thousands of miles. That cost is born by us the purchasers. What is that doing to the carbon footprint? Moving all those resources when they MIGHT be in Fermanagh.

For those who think that there is enough economic prosperity in Ireland North or South - great. However many are facing financial ruin with the current economic downturn. Much needed investment and hope is needed in Ireland North and South.

Arlene Foster has made a sound economic decision for N Ireland. She along with other responsible politicians will ensure that proper scrutiny is applied to work of any exploration company.

I am happy to go on the record and say welcome Tamboran to Fermanagh. Please invest your money here and make a better future for all those living here.

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caitey
3 posts
Feb 5, 19:17
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Here Here. The protestors have no problem because it is the likes of us hard workers who subsidse them.

All they have to do go to their social security office get rent allowances coal/gas/ etc.

For years Quarries been have blasting Limestone Rock look up fracturing same thing.

Arlene keep at it.

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wateronaducksback
1 post
Feb 5, 19:54
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http://youtu.be/jxrQUAvNZHQ great song and for all the industrial neoandertals!!

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shanethechef
1 post
Feb 5, 22:32
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My hard earned money comes from working 12 hour days in the tourist industry, which, if this dirty, degrading enterprise comes to Fermanagh, and then Leitrim, will impact horrifically on our tourist numbers. For every job gained in fracking, (600 over fifty years THEY SAY) there will be at least ten to twenty times that number lost in direct, and indirect tourism related businesses. The only growth industries in Ireland last year were food production , Agriculture, and Tourism. Tourists won't want to come to a gas producing zone. Our clean meat and dairy exports could be irrevocably harmed if just one drop of benzene got into our milk exports (remember spanish cucumbers). The gas is there, and if you would like to take a look at the archived materials in the Northern Assembly website, it shows that between 1996 and 1998, "Priority Oil and Gas LLC in partnership with S Morrice & Associates LLC, based in Denver, held 100% title to a total 9 licences covering over 1 million acres (2,170 km2) onshore Northern Ireland and North West Ireland. This area encompasses the entire NW Carboniferous Basin and its potential shallow gas play (Ref: Montage). The group has completed Phase I and II G&G work programmes since being awarded the acreage in 1996/98. They are now looking for partners to take control of the operations through the Phase III drilling and testing programmes which are scheduled to begin in late 2000." The only problem they had back in l996, was that they couldnt get enough gas out with vertical drilling methods, to justify the outlay, or their investor's outlay. (http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/enterprise/reports/report3-01vol3.htm)

(Report on the Energy Inquiry – Volume 2

SESSION 2001/2002 THIRD REPORT

Ordered by The Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to be printed 13 February 2002)

here it states that they knew the gas was there, had drilled test bores, and saw huge potential in the shale.

There are over 132 lawsuits as we speak, being taken out against gas companies, drilling plants, compressor stations, by class action, and by individuals across the US and Canada. The law suits encompass everything from loss of value to properties (property prices invariably fall in fracking zones, whilst the cost of insuring your house soars), and actual contamination of wells, streams, ponds and groundwater.

If this process is as safe as the gas companies state, then why is it being linked to respiratory, skin, and blood disorders. What is the rush, the gas isnt going anywhere!

Shane, Chef

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Clarrie
2 posts
Feb 5, 23:36
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To Enniskillen's comment above, Yes I have got myself properly informed about this issue, unlike you. If you did any research at all into this you would see that it should never be allowed to blight Ireland. Shanethechef above has hit it right on the nail when he says that the few jobs that might be created are nothing to the thousands that could be lost. Just take a look at the evidence that is coming out now after a few years of the terrible damage this industry has done everywhere it has been, lives lost, peoples health ruined, land and water poisoned. If you think this could be good, you must be totally gullible, taken in by the lies of a greedy self serving oil industry.

Recommend? Yes 1 No 1
caitey
3 posts
Feb 6, 19:59
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after what I have read I shall ignore with the contempt it deserves but may I add agriculture please do nor tell me about it,, forty years in the business. Northern Ireland ROI & all Parts of UK & Further afield.

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Enniskillen
4 posts
Feb 8, 00:35
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Maybe Clarrie can advise us what drilling site they have been on and what damage was done in Fermanagh previously when fracking took place?

The comments about loss of jobs in tourism again is questionable, the economic conditions worldwide dictate that tourism is set to fall by up to 50% in ireland - simply people do not have the money.

There are many examples of clean energy, from companies that are responsible for producing energy. Maybe Clarrie could address how they travel around the lakes of Femanagh is it on the clean fresh air? Energy is needed to run cars, light homes and schools and provide heat and warmth to the population.

Caitey you are also correct how much pollution is caused in Fermanagh from agriculture, slurry, black plastic silage wrapping, fertilisers etc. This has polluted more ground water than any potential oil and gas.

Again I restate gas has to be found first there is not enough evidence to say that this is the case YET.

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