EPA defends appointing pro-fracking firm for study

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has defended the appointment of a pro-fracking company to lead a research study into the practice in Ireland.

A delegation from the agency appeared before a meeting of the joint Oireachtas committee on transport and communications and was quizzed over the awarding of a research contract to a consortium, headed by CDM Smith Ireland.

The EPA had been commissioned by the Government to undertake a two-year study into the controversial gas extraction method.