New Year Resolution: Take Action against Fracking

Published by ciaran on January 5, 2017January 5, 2017

January 5, 2017

2017 Green News Resolution #1 : No Fracking!

[x_columnize]Take action against fracking by making a personal submission to the Joint Oireachtas Committee. Members of the public who have an interest in the fracking debate are invited by the Oireachtas Joint Committee to inform public policy by making submissions. The Green News wishes to highlight this opportunity and emphasize that any informed member of the public can make a submission by email. There are no specific qualifications required and we will provide links to the relevant documents and provide some tips for drafting and formatting a submission. If you’re opposed to fracking and have read or are willing to read some literature on the subject then you could influence policy by making a brief submission.[/x_columnize]

What is a submission?

[x_columnize]A submission is ideally an email to be sent to (Fracking@oireachtas.ie). It will be distributed by the clerk to all relevant parties.It should contain a covering letter listing your phone number, a postal address and your preferred email address in addition to a separate submission document Postal submissions should be sent to : The Clerk, Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, D02 XR20, Ireland. The submission document is comprised of a brief introduction of yourself or the organization that you represent if applicable, if you have expertise or relevant qualifications state them in your introduction. The remainder of the document should present factual information for the committee to consider and should conclude with recommendations. If your submission is longer than ten pages you should also create an executive summary. There is an abundance of high-quality information available on fracking and you do not need to be an environmental scientist or a geologist to interpret existing reports and make a quality submission. The submission process can be done from start to finish from your PC. Never forget that activism is always at a keyboards reach.[/x_columnize]

What documents do I need to read prior to writing my submission?

[x_columnize][x_button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”none” href=”http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/3716/B3716d.pdf” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Full Text of the “Prohibtion of the Exploration & Extraction of Onshore Petroleum Bill 2016″[/x_button] [x_button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”none” href=”http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/3716/b3716d-memo.pdf” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Explanatory Memorandum [/x_button] [x_button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”none” href=”http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/ugeejointresearchprogramme/” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]Full Suite of EPA Reports relating to Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction published between 2013 & 2016[/x_button][/x_columnize] Keep in mind that a successful submission makes convincing recommendations by drawing on factual evidence. Avoid making emotional appeals or criticizing individuals in your submission.

Submission Formatting:

[x_columnize]Covering letter listing:

Phone Number, Postal Address & Preferred email

Submission document:

1.) Name and a short bio highlighting relevant qualifications and area of expertise, also state if you are representing an organization such as an interest group

2.) Factual Information for consideration

3.) Recommendations

4.) Executive summary if document is longer than 10 pages

Remember the deadline for all submissions is February 2, 2017[/x_columnize]

What to expect

[x_columnize]Your submission, if accepted, will be distributed to the members of the Oireachtas Joint Comittee and you may be invited to give an oral presentation. Otherwise, your submission document itself or any part thereof, may be published by the Oireachtas or posted to their website.

Committee Membership:

TDs

Hildegarde Naughton (Chair) Fine Gael

Timmy Dooley Fianna Fáil

James Lawless Fianna Fáil

Michael Lowry Rural Technical Group

Eamon Ryan Social Democrats – Green Party Group

Bríd Smith AAA-PBP

Brian Stanley Sinn Féin

Senators

Terry Leyden Fianna Fáil

Tim Lombard Fine Gael

Michael McDowell Independent Group

Joe O’Reilly Fine Gael[/x_columnize]

[x_image type=”none” float=”none” src=”https://greennews.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/leitrim-fracking-protest.jpg” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]

There have been numerous demonstrations protesting fracking in Leitrim and elsewhere, take it a step further and make a submission.

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