Martin O’Donnell and Michelle Gildernew MP
THE MESSAGE FROM the anti-fracking conference last Friday was clear – fracking will be blocked, should attempts be made to introduce it in Fermanagh.
Organised by Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson, the event was held on Friday in the Lough Erne Resort, and was chaired by Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew.
Speakers on the day included, Gary McFarlane, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Dr Brenna O’Roarty a member of Fermanagh Fracking Awareness Network, Professor Tony Ingraffea from Cornell University and keynote speaker Andy Gheorghiu, the author of the Friends of the Earth Fracking Frenzy report.
Speaking at the conference, Martina Anderson gave her ‘absolute guarantee’ Sinn Fein will block fracking here. To rapturous applause she stated the party would use its voting strength in the executive to block it and not change Fermanagh from “forty shades of green to fifty shades of grey”.
In her address Dr Brenna O’Roarty, a member of Fermanagh Fracking Awareness Network and economic analyst, poured cold water on claims fracking would bring economic benefits to the county.
In her report weighing up the economic benefits she claimed fracking would not bring 600 jobs rather “a maximum of maybe 10 jobs long-term” and said initial figures the process could bring £6.7billion were ‘really shaky’.
She highlighted the impact on roads and claimed that due to increased traffic, it reduces life-cycle of roads by 75%.
She also stressed her concern the process would have on Fermanagh’s two key industries; agriculture and tourism.
Speaking after the conference Michelle Gildernew was delighted with the success of the conference.
“We had a range of different experts in the fields of the environment, economics, tourism, agriculture, health and hydrology, many of whom were Fermanagh natives.
“Ms Gildernew continued: “Fracking is not the answer to the needs of Fermanagh, or anywhere in Ireland for that matter. A basic human right is the right to clean water, clear air and a clean environment to raise our children in.”
She added: “The outcome of the discussions today has strengthened our opposition to any form of fracking and we will continue to work with the community to ensure their opposition to fracking is listened to. If we are all active together, we can change anything.”
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