Video claims fracking will ruin Ireland's economy

An award-winning film-maker has produced a YouTube video condemning fracking in Ireland.

Dearbhla Glynn, who won the Grand Prize at the 2013 Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Awards for her documentary The Value of Women in The Congo, has made fracking the focus of her newest venture with Afri.

7 min film on future of #fracking in Ireland http://t.co/KgB0NhsYlH @lukeming @ThomasPringleTD @simoncoveney @GerryAdamsSF @DonnellyStephen

— Afri (@AfriPeace) March 20, 2014

The Future for Shale: Fracking in Ireland features first-hand accounts from both experts in the field and farmers who are reluctant to allow fracking in Leitrim.

Glynn's video highlights the ignorance most people have of fracking.

"I thought this would be a great idea," says Michael Gallagher. "I thought gas was just in a well underneath and all you had to do was drill down and that was it."

Fracking involves creating cracks in the ground and injecting fluid to widen the fractures, allowing more oil and gas to flow out to be extracted. Many fear that such practices will cause dangerous levels of air and water pollution.

Glynn explained to Near FM that multinational companies are attracted to rural Ireland because it is seen as an easy target.

"Mass emigration has hit the region and the region is vulnerable to developers. Tamboran [Resources] are coming in at the moment saying that they want to bring fracking into the area and that this will boost development."

This is a theory that is supported by Leitrim farmer Jim Dillon.

"They pick on an area like this here which is sparsely populated and there wouldn't be enough of us to kick up a fuss."

Leitrim GP Dr Carroll O'Dolan warns that fracking could lead to a downturn in the economy rather than the boost that companies are claiming.

"It is not in our long term or medium term interest because if farming and tourism is damaged the economic impact alone will be a bigger loss of jobs than this few four to six hundred jobs they talk about."

Glynn says that fracking is "a concern" and the farmers in Leitrim are "very concerned that if fracking is brought into the area their way of life will be gone forever."

"It's not to get rich that you come to this part of the country," explains Gallagher. "It's a different way of life. It's peaceful and it's quiet. And if [fracking] goes ahead it'll be finished forever."