The Environment Protection Agency's (EPA) report on fracking fails to take into account the implications of tackling climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement, according to the Green Party.

Green Party Spokesperson on Climate Change, Cllr David Healy said the report "entirely misses the point" and fails to acknowledge the wider context of the debate on fossil fuels.

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He said: "We know that four fifths of known fossil fuel reserves must be left in the ground if we are to avoid dangerous levels of global warming. We have 10 years left before we reach 1.5 degrees of warming. That is the reality of the situation.

"We know the risks involved in fracking, and we hope that the Oireachtas moves to ban it through legislation as soon as possible. We also need to have a wider debate about fossil fuels in this country. A low carbon future means no more oil or gas exploration. It means no fracking. This EPA report misses the point by not dealing with these issues. We're calling on the Government to re-affirm its opposition to fracking, and to put that opposition on a legislative footing in response to this report."

(CD/MH)