SDLP MLA for West Tyrone Joe Byrne has said that if the Minister of the Environment had not withdrawn the Planning Bill there was a real risk that OFMdFM amendments could have resulted in fracking being brought to Fermanagh.

Mr Byrne said: "The establishment of Economically Significantly Planning Zones, proposed by OFMDFM in an amendment to the Planning Bill that was not subject to Committee or public scrutiny could have given blanket permission to OFMdFM to bring Fracking to the West without proper consideration and evaluation of all the issues including environmental consequences.

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"The Planning System, operated through the Department of the Environment, is there to safeguard the public interest and guarantee that local issues are reflected in any development. The amendments sought by OFMDFM to the Planning Bill, would remove all these necessary safeguards and allowed OFMdFM to ignore the very vocal objections to fracking by local residents.

"I fully support Minister Durkan's actions to prevent this Planning Bill from progressing.

"This Bill would not deliver an enhanced planning service for the people of Northern Ireland.

"The actions of Sinn Fein and the DUP have turned this Bill toxic and sought to exclude the voices of local communities in the North from government decisions. The SDLP has rejected this attempt."

(CD/JP)