Sinn Féin has "no confidence" in the latest research report on fracking after it was revealed it is being led by a company with "such deep interests" in the fracking industry.

Michael Colreavy, Spokesperson on Communications, Energy, and Natural Resources, confirmed the Environmetal Protection Agency (EPA) was meeting with the Transport and Communications Committee to provide an update on their progress report.

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Deputy Colreavy said: "We are discussing fracking at this stage of the process but the debate should have occurred before invitations were issued for licencing options to frack in the North West of Ireland.

"Ironically, the licencing options were issued by the Irish government in the dying days of the last Dáil without any debate on the issue."

He continued: "I asked whether the EPA or any reasonable person could expected any unbiased report when the company contracted by the EPA to carry out the study are themselves staunch supporters of the fracking industry.

"I asked them had CDM Smith, the company contracted, ever recommended that a location should not be used for fracking, but the EPA failed to provide an answer."

(CD/JP)