Local anti-fracking groups have been reacting to a leaked claimed report that was compiled to assess the societal, economic and environmental impacts of future onshore petroleum exploration and production in Northern Ireland.

The Hatch Report was commissioned by the Department for the Economy (DfE), with an alleged summary report leaked by EcoLeaks on November 21.

However, when contacted by this newspaper about the alleged leaked summary report, the Department would not confirm or deny that the documents were legitimate, simply stating: “The Hatch Report will be published when the Department is in a position to publicly consult on the future options for petroleum licensing following consideration by the [Northern Ireland] Executive.

“The Department is currently undertaking a review of the petroleum licensing regime in Northern Ireland.

“The Minister [for the Environment] has previously indicated that the decisions on whether or not to grant the two current petroleum licence applications will be taken by the Executive after this review is complete.”

The claimed leaked summary report has always been viewed as an “enabling report”, according to Tom White, of Belcoo Frack Free.

He believes it will be used by the DfE in supporting its statutory obligations to promote gas and also its existing 1960s policy which favours the setting up of an oil and gas industry in Northern Ireland.

Mr. White continued: “Fossil fuels are the biggest contributor to climate change. The health impacts of the production and burning of fossil fuels are well-known.

“The leaking of the [claimed] executive summary of the Hatch Report would indicate no realistic consideration of the public health impacts of this industry, as the scenarios studied bear no resemblance to what is proposed by the likes of Tamboran,” he claimed.

Belcoo Frack Free, in a blog about the alleged report, also raised the question as to whether the 34 wells which is used as a high-development scenario in the claimed report is accurate.

They claim Tamboran, which has a licence application to frack in Fermanagh, has previously stated that to be commercially successful it would need thousands of wells. The anti-fracking group has called for the release of the complete report immediately.

Mr. White continued: “We re-iterate our call for the adoption of a new policy by the Executive which states that it is no longer in the public interest to explore for, drill for, extract or exploit Northern Ireland’s oil and gas resources.”

Diane Little, from LAMP Fermanagh, said tensions are running high after the claimed Hatch Report was allegedly leaked, with the fear the Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons, could bring petroleum licensing options before the Executive before Christmas.

Since the 1960s, it has been the policy of the Executive to encourage oil and gas exploration. If it follows this policy, Ms. Little claims public health will be put at risk: “The alleged leaked report looks at low-, moderate- and high-development scenarios, and across all scenarios the impact on public health would be of moderate adverse significance.”

Ms. Little continued: “It allows them [the Executive] to consider petroleum licensing for a low well density without triggering the precautionary principle that requires them to do no harm.

“Hatch did consider health impacts, despite not being qualified to do so, and there was no public participation in their health assessment – an essential part of an appropriate public health impact assessment,” claimed Ms. Little.

The alleged report has garnered some international interest, with Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo urging the public to contacts their MLAs, while the Economy Committee at Stormont has not even had sight of the claimed report.