Ireland's Anti-Fracking Movement

The Human Rights Podcast

This episode was created by Colin Carney, Sophie Fitzpatrick and Cassie Roddy-Mullineaux, LLM students in the Human Rights Law Clinic at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. The episode investigates the anti-fracked gas movement in Ireland and on the international stage. In this episode, Colin, Sophie and Cassie interview Johnny McElligott, a leading member of the North Kerry-based grassroots environmental campaigning group, Safety Before LNG. Johnny informs listeners about his work towards the prevention of the importation of fracked gas into Ireland and the construction of the planned LNG terminal on the Shannon Estuary. The podcast also includes other voices from the anti-fracked gas movement including those of Brian Cuthbert and Jessie Dolliver, active members of Not Here Not Anywhere. They share their extensive knowledge of the science behind fracked gas and its impacts on human health and the environment. They also share their thoughts on Ireland’s future in terms of ‘energy security’ and the anti-fracked gas movement on a European level. The students also speak to Tammy Murphy, Medical Advocacy Director for Physicians for Social Responsibility, Pennsylvania, who informs listeners about the harms that fracking inflicts on local communities in the US and explains why the issue is both transnational and urgent. This podcast episode accompanies the LLM students’ work, with Johnny McElligott and Safety Before LNG as part of the Human Rights Law Clinic, to draft and explain the EU and international law justifications for a legislative ban on importing fracked gas into Ireland.