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To: Diane Dodds, Minister for Economy
Stop the Research on Drilling for Oil and Gas in Northern Ireland
Hatch Regeneris' research is not facilitating the inclusion of the views of councils and communities directly impacted by the threat of drilling in Northern Ireland. The research should be stopped.
Why is this important?
Consultancy firm Hatch Regeneris have been funded by the Department for the Economy to carry out a £65,000 piece of research on the economic, environmental and social impact of drilling for oil and gas here. They were awarded the contract one day after the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously passed a motion for a halt on oil and gas drilling and development in Northern Ireland in October last year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-54144919
http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/officialreport/report.aspx?&eveDate=2020%2F10%2F13&docID=310908
Despite the overwhelming evidence on the negative public health impact of drilling and fracking, the research does not include consideration of public health in its terms of reference.
Now the Councils in the areas currently under the PLA1/16 licence, many of whom passed motions against fracking and drilling, are currently not part of their stakeholder engagement. This means that the communities that will bear the social impact of drilling for oil will not be heard.