Keep Dublin Bay Oil Free - No Oil Rigs in Our Bay

The Save our Seafront Campaign together with Protect Our Coast and a number of local business owners, political representatives and individuals in the Dublin area have come together to oppose the application and possible granting of a foreshore license to drill for oil and gas just 6 km of the coast of Dublin Bay.

The application has gone to Phil Hogan, Minister for Environment who will make a decision in the coming weeks and months. In excess of 350 submissions were made following a well attended public meeting, most of which were opposing the application and calling for a public enquiry. Shockingly, Minister Hogan has not called a Public Enquiry, nor has an Environmental Impact Assessment been undertaken.

The group are deeply concerned about the potential impact to the environment should there be an oil spill or a gas leak. The bay would be contaminated for decades; marine life would be seriously affected including a number of rare species in this special conservation area. In the case of a gas leak, evacuation of homes along the coast would be necessary. Pollution and mess would be an unavoidable consequence of the extraction process itself.

Aside from the environmental and safety issues, the group is opposed to the potential industrialization of Dublin Bay in one of the most beautiful and historic sections of our coastline.

The lack of Public consultation on the issue and the absence of any real benefit to the Irish people is also a major concern for the group. Ireland’s current licensing agreements allows Providence to write off 100% of costs going back 25 years against an already very low tax rate of 25% in the event of a find.

Specialist staff will be brought in from abroad and any resources found will most likely be shipped abroad for refining meaning there will be no guarantee of any jobs for Irish people.