LOCAL Labour Party councillor Conor Sheehan has criticised the government for rushing through amendments to the Planning Bill, specifically on its pro-liquified natural gas (LNG) provisions.
Cllr Sheehan said the move represents a step backwards for Ireland’s environmental goals.
An “egregious” aspect of the Planning Bill, he claims, is the government’s attempt to designate floating LNG terminals as “strategic infrastructure”, which Cllr Sheehan says allows for the bypassing of the normal planning process entirely.
“This is potentially allowing for the normal planning process to be circumvented completely for the installation of these polluting terminals in Ireland. How can this be happening in 2024?” the Labour councillor hit out.
He said that “LNG is a dirty fuel that will increase our emissions and harm public health. It is a step backward for Ireland’s environmental goals”.
The City North representative said he is particularly surprised at the Green Party’s approach to the issue.
He said that his own party “put down a range of amendments to delete the government’s proposals on LNG and it was deeply disappointing to see the Planning Bill passed with the LNG provisions on Wednesday night of last week by 72 votes to 60”.
“Government has insisted that existing policy constitutes a moratorium on LNG, but that claim never held water. The recent High Court decision makes it clear: there is no way to enforce a moratorium that doesn’t actually exist. Minister Ryan’s claim that he ‘doesn’t think’ LNG terminals will be installed in Ireland is deeply troubling. We do not legislate based on vague hopes and assumptions.”
Cllr Sheehan called on the government to stand firm against fossil fuels and not undo the environmental progress made over the last four years, urging a withdrawal from the “dangerous” NLG amendments.
In response, Limerick Green Party TD Brian Leddin said that Cllr Sheehan shows a clear lack of understanding of both the Planning Bill and the LNG issue.
“He and the Labour Party are seeking to simplify a complex, serious issue and use it for political advantage. That is irresponsible and we need our politicians to be much better than this,” Deputy Leddin told the Limerick Post.
“The Bill does not allow for bypassing the normal planning processes, as Cllr Sheehan has claimed. In fact, what it does is say that any application for an LNG facility, whether that is by an individual, a company, or the State, will be treated as strategic in nature, in the same way as health, transport, or waste infrastructure would be, and therefore the application would be assessed by An Bord Pleanála rather than a county council,” he said.
“It is as simple as that, and not a fast-tracking or prioritisation of LNG. It is irresponsible and counterproductive to mislead on this point.”
Deputy Leddin went on to say that the Green Party is fully opposed to a commercial LNG facility, while also understanding a temporary strategic State-owned reserve might be needed in the case of a catastrophic event, such as an interruption of the gas supply from Scotland.
“Unfortunately, following the blowing up of the Nord Stream pipeline two years ago, we live in a reality where this kind of risk has to be taken seriously,” he said.
