Gemma Weir supporting the Woodburn protest

Serious concerns about threats to north Belfast’s water supply have been raised by Workers Party representative Gemma Weir as a gas and oil company goes on site at Carrickfergus to prepare for exploratory drilling.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has granted the gas and petroleum exploration company Infrastrata licence to drill at a site 350m from the North Woodburn Reservoir – which supplies drinking water to large areas of north Belfast and other parts of the city

Contamination                                                                                                        “I am extremely concerned about the potential contamination of our local water supply”, Gemma said. “It is beyond belief that Northern Ireland Water is leasing land right beside a major reservoir to a gas and oil exploration company which plans to drill and inject chemicals into the ground adjacent to the reservoir. It is even more alarming that the Department of the Environment has not intervened to halt this pollution threat”, Gemma added.

Congratulating those individuals and groups who have been protesting and raising awareness of the issue Gemma said,

Serious questions                                                                                         “There are serious questions to be answered about the manner in which this licence extension has been granted. I am deeply concerned that no environmental assessment seems to have been undertaken and of course about the potential pollution and health risk this drilling may cause”

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