Fracking for oil and gas is 'safe', so says an independent report published today.

The controversial process of drilling for gas and oil has come under attack following the acknowledgment that it can cause mini-earthquakes or tremors but a government-commissioned report has given it a green light.

It argues that it is safe as long as certain basic precautions are put in place.

The report, now out for comments from the general public, was commissioned following two earthquakes last year with magnitude 2.3 and 1.5 in the Blackpool area were linked to fracking.

The report has called for "an effective monitoring system to provide near real-time locations and magnitudes of any seismic events [as] part of any future fracking operations".

The advice means thousands of new wells could be constructed across the UK including a site in County Fermanagh.

Environment Minister Alex Attwood said:"To simply adopt an approach that if gas exists in this form underground, for example in Fermanagh, it should be extracted, is a risk. This is a narrow approach. The right approach is to ask do we want to or need to extract the gas and can it be done safely? These are the standards against which to judge fracking. A rush to fracking is ill judged.

"I will consider this latest report, noting that its content is limited to the issue of earth tremors and does not address other issues and concerns around fracking."

Meanwhile Sinn Féin Energy Spokesperson Phil Flanagan has said that a review into fracking by the British Government is irrelevant and that the claim that fracking is safe is bizarre.

He said: "This report is completely irrelevant to what happens in Ireland and for the so called ‘panel of experts’ to claim that fracking is safe after such a limited review is bizarre. I for one do not accept that finding."

Following the findings of the report an invitation for comment runs for six weeks from today. All comments received will be considered and taken into account before any decision is taken on further fracking for shale gas.

(LB)