Concerns voiced over liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals at Cork protest

A group of climate campaigners, activists, councillors and concerned members of the public, led by Not Here Not Anywhere (NHNA), held a demonstration at Cork City Hall on Saturday evening against liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

The group chanted: “Flooded Lee, rising seas, we say no to LNG” and handed out leaflets to passers-by.

They expressed concerns that the government’s scrapping of the policy banning imports of fracked gas earlier this year has opened the door to LNG companies seeking to develop LNG import terminals around the Irish coast, including in the Port of Cork.

The campaigners are pushing for the passage of an anti-LNG motion that was submitted in June by Cork City North East councillor Oliver Moran of the Green Party, which is due to be discussed by council after the summer break.

Mr Moran’s motion proposes: “That, as a Mission City to be climate neutral by 2030, Cork City Council is opposed to the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, as new fossil fuel infrastructure, and will work to ensure no LNG terminals are developed in the Cork region; and shall focus its support on the development of large-scale renewable infrastructure for energy security instead.”

The motion is due to be debated and voted on at the council’s environment, water and amenities strategic policy committee in September.

Mr Moran, who attended the demonstration, said that Cork City Council is a member of regional energy stakeholder groups and an EU Mission City to be climate neutral by 2030: “LNG has no part in that and buying into LNG is only playing a card against ourselves.

“Cork’s future is in renewables. It’s why the Port of Cork is investing €100m in a deepwater berth dedicated to servicing offshore energy.

“It’s why Cork ETB, UCC and MTU have come together to provide a first-of-its-kind maritime and offshore safe pass course at the National Maritime College in Ringaskiddy. That’s to train people in the skills to work on turbines at sea.

“It shows how offshore energy will bring jobs and energy security tied to Cork. LNG will bring neither of those. So as a region we need to keep our focus and everybody else’s on the work underway for offshore renewables, without distraction.”

NHNA campaigner and PhD researcher Niamh Guiry said that the people of Cork “do not want and cannot afford any new fossil fuel infrastructure in the midst of a widespread and devastating climate crisis”.

She added: “We are at a pivotal point in history.

“Now is the time for radical action and political bravery, not new LNG infrastructure, especially since Cork is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and flooding.”

Ms Guiry explained that LNG terminals are expensive to develop and operate, which incentivises the LNG operator to use the terminal as much as possible to recover costs.

It comes amid an advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last week which means that if states approve fossil fuel projects or provide fossil fuel subsidies, they may be in breach of international law.

She said: “It’s unthinkable that Ireland could be locked into fossil fuel infrastructure and dependency for years to come.

“We welcome the historic ICJ advisory opinion, which means that pursuing the production and consumption of fossil fuels may risk running afoul of international law.

“We hope that this will make the Government reconsider any plans for LNG infrastructure, put in place necessary policy and legislation to prevent new fossil fuel infrastructure, and facilitate a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.”