Friends of the Earth launches the Fracking Free Ireland Campaign for the Local Elections

Today, 29th April 2014, Friends of the Earth launches the Fracking Free Ireland campaign for the local elections. In the run up to polling day to be held on May 23rd, candidates are being asked to take the "Fracking Free Ireland Pledge"‚ which calls for a commitment to oppose the development of this controversial fossil fuel extraction industry in Ireland.

Today, 29th April 2014, Friends of the Earth launches the Fracking Free Ireland campaign for the local elections. In the run up to polling day to be held on May 23rd, candidates are being asked to take the "Fracking Free Ireland Pledge"‚ which calls for a commitment to oppose the development of this controversial fossil fuel extraction industry in Ireland.

click the link below to find out who your representatives are and to
ask them to make this pledge:
http://www.foe.ie/takeaction/fracking-free-election-cam...aign/

The Pledge simply states,

I support a Fracking Free Ireland. If elected, I will work to ensure that fracking is not permitted in my area

Kate Ruddock, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Friends of the Earth said:

"as voters concerned about the environment, the most important thing we can do right now is to vote for a candidate who pledges to make protection of the environment a priority. We are asking candidates to commit to working to ensure that this dangerous, toxic and climate-polluting industry is not permitted in their areas by signing this pledge"

Members of the public will be facilitated in contacting their local candidates to seek their views on fracking in Ireland and will be able to identify candidates who have committed to the Fracking Free Ireland pledge on the Friends of the Earth website.

Kate Ruddock continued:

we are lucky in Ireland that we do not yet have commercial extraction of fossil fuels from fracking, however, the Irish government is considering proposals from two companies that would involve hydraulic fracturing to extract gas onshore in areas of rural Ireland. If these projects go ahead, these areas would be irrevocably damaged, as would their existing farming and tourism sectors. There is no place for this dirty carbon intensive industry in our transition to a low carbon future for Ireland.‚

In addition, the International „"Frack-Free Europe" campaign was launched by the Euro-Maghreb Network this month. This campaign asks Members of the European Parliament and candidates in the European elections to commit to supporting a range of measures including a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in Europe and the introduction of strict regulation specific to unconventional fossil fuel extraction.