Activist group launches campaign to ban LNG infrastructure in Ireland with new LNG Free Bill sponsored by Neasa Hourigan T.D.
Friday, 18th February, Dublin, Grassroots climate activist group Not Here Not Anywhere (NHNA), launched a new campaign “Keep Ireland LNG Free” with the introduction of the LNG Free Bill. The Bill, which would stop the granting of planning permission for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals in Ireland, was presented outside Dáil Eireann by sponsor and Green Party TD, Neasa Hourigan. Representatives of NHNA were accompanied by representatives from some of the over 30 allied environmental and social justice groups who support the campaign.
The Tánaiste recently indicated that the Government would be powerless to stop planning permission being granted for LNG import terminals. Referencing the Shannon LNG application currently under consideration by An Bord Pleanala, Varadkar stated “the Government is not supporting that project because we believe the future is in renewable energy and hydrogen but we are not going to block it either. There is a planning process and if the company gets planning permission and can finance its project then it will be able to proceed”.
Cork activist Brian Cuthbert of Not Here Not Anywhere stated
“This Bill is an opportunity for the government to take immediate climate action to safeguard our future. Passing the LNG Bill would protect us from damaging LNG terminals which our government has said it is currently powerless to stop.
The future is in renewable energy. If we’re serious about our climate commitments we need to say No to LNG. We need to pass this Bill”
Activists from supporting campaign groups and NGOs further welcomed the Bill.
Jerry Mac Evilly, Head of Policy in Friends of the Earth said
"We need Government to introduce legislation to make the current temporary ban on LNG permanent and to respond to the major risk that new fossil fuel infrastructure might lock polluting emissions into Ireland’s energy system. Continued gas expansion runs counter to our climate obligations and will undermine Ireland's energy transition. Increasing reliance on imported fossil fuels during a global gas crisis would also expose Ireland to greater energy insecurity and rising energy costs that would hit the most vulnerable the hardest."
John McElligott from Kerry campaign group Safety Before LNG said
“The policy against fracked gas imports, published by the Government last May, stated that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas and recognised specifically that ‘the highest risk of fracked gas being imported into Ireland on a large-scale would be via liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals’".
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About Not Here Not Anywhere
Not Here Not Anywhere is a nationwide, grassroots, non-partisan group campaigning to end fossil fuel exploration and the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure in Ireland. We advocate for a just transition to renewable energy systems both here and around the world.
