Leitrim councillors in opposition to Government’s LNG approval

On Tuesday, March 4, the Government approved plans for Ireland's first liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal at a cost of €300 million.

The Government stated that this controversial form of gas would be stored as an emergency reserve, to provide an alternative supply in case of disruptions to Ireland’s gas supply at an “appropriate scale.”

However, the strategic reserve must be emptied and replenished every two months to keep the gas fresh and usable, raising concerns that this could lead to a reliance on fracked gas.

Independent Cllr Eddie Mitchell has been a vocal opponent of the reversal of the ban on fracked gas.

At March’s meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District, he urged members to support a joint statement expressing their “seriously concerned” stance on the Government’s shift in policy on fracked gas in the Irish energy mix.

The statement called on the four Sligo-Leitrim TDs to work together with affected communities and actively oppose fracking.

“We live in a gas basin with significant quantities of gas reserves where the Government in 2011 wanted to facilitate fracking here, and we subsequently got a ban,” Cllr Mitchell said.

Leitrim Councillor crisitsies government approval of LNG terminal

Government approves LNG terminal, scrapping ban on fracked gas imports, sparking fierce opposition from Leitrim environmental groups.

“Now in the last two weeks the Government has decided that bringing fracked gas imports into Ireland is now okay.”

Cllr Mitchell highlighted that TDs from areas near the Shannon estuary have long advocated for an LNG terminal.

“The reason we ended up with a ban on fracking in Ireland is because the local representatives worked very hard with community representatives for years.

“We need to stand up to those TDs in the Shannon estuary who are trying to bring in fracked gas exports,” he added

All members of Manorhamilton MD supports Cllr Mitchell’s motion.

“We fought a long and hard campaign and met a lot of obstacles on the way,” Cllr Bohan said, referring to the six-year effort that led to Ireland banning fracking in 2017.

“If it becomes Government policy then we’re in a very serious situation.”

READ MORE: €5000 awarded to Leitrim Environmental Projects