Commercial fracking to remain unlicensed

Commercial fracking is to remain unlicensed here until 2014 at least.

The government has decided that another study on possible side effects from the process is needed before issuing any licences here.

Further European studies could mean no fracking here for a decade.

Junior Minister Fergus O'Dowd has told the Dáil that "no decision has been made to any fracking".

"The exploration licence will not allow commercial fracking. Until all of those studies are available to us, we will not make any decision.

"The earliest we can expect the information on our desks is 2014, so nothing will happen until that information is available."