The Government has turned down a Sinn Féin amendment to ban fracking in Ireland.

During the debate on the Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety (Amendment) Bill 2015 in the Seanad, Sinn Féin Senator Kathryn Reilly said fracking is a dangerous method of extracting shale gas from rock.

Senator Reilly said: "Fracking is an unsafe means of extracting shale gas that could potentially have a serious impact on people's health, the environment and the agricultural industry. It is no coincidence that everywhere that the practice has been introduced it has been dogged by controversy.

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"The practice was only this week banned in the state of New York and there is absolutely no way it should be allowed to occur in Ireland. The recent decision in the north of Ireland not to extend the licence for the exploration company Tamboran Resources was a positive step in stopping fracking on this island.

"Tamboran had proposed to use fracking in the region of the Lough Allen Basin, an area which covers Leitrim and Fermanagh, but would also affect West Cavan. The government should make it a priority to make sure that adequate legislation is introduced to stop fracking from occurring."

(CD/JP)