Concerns expressed about geo-thermal project

Concerns about possible geo-thermal activity in the border region were highlighted at the recent meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District.

Cllr Eddie Mitchell (Ind) submitted a motion, in which he asked Leitrim County Council to seek an update on a cross-border geothermal energy demonstration project which has been proposed.

“Concerns were raised at meetings in March 2023, and a chief government ecologist provided reassurances that no boreholes would be drilled into petroleum reserves,” his motion stated.

Cllr Mitchell asked the council to engage with ICBAN (Irish Central Border Area Network) to receive an update on the proposed demonstration project that it is a partner in.

Geo-thermal energy is energy in the form of heat stored beneath the surface of the earth.

“There were consultations held with six communities in the Lough MacNeans area previously on what they wanted to develop in their areas. However, a geo-thermal well was not proposed by the communities,” Cllr Mitchell told the meeting.

“There were also discussions held with the geo-thermal regulator, who said that drilling into the Lough Allen Basin would not be considered,” he added.

Cllr Mitchell also asked that the council write to both governments, north and south to seek clarification on the matter.

Vincent Dwyer, Council Director of Services, said that the letters could be written to ICBAN and both governments, but he stressed that the councillor needed to find out who specifically needed to be written to in both governments.

“I ask that the council seek assurances from both governments that geothermal activity, which could provide information on the nature of gas in place in the Lough Allen Basin, will not be proposed,” Cllr Mitchell's motion concluded.

According to the ICBAN website, The GEMINI (Geothermal Momentum on the Island of Ireland) Project has been awarded funding of €20 million to develop the market for geothermal energy, to de-risk both shallow and deep geothermal energy projects, and to create conditions for job creation and public participation.