'It is absolutely essential that Ireland looks at the health impacts of fracking,' according to a New York anti-fracking campaigner who visited Belcoo at the weekend.

Environmental campaigner John Armstrong is Communications Director of FrackAction, the movement that campaigned and succeeded in getting fracking banned in New York state.

He and two colleagues from FrackAction visited Leitrim and Fermanagh over the Easter weekend 'to offer support to ensure that not one fracking well would be drilled in Ireland'. He states: 'What was different in New York was that they engaged the public health department in the fracking review process.' In December, the democratic governor of New York state Andrew Cuomo announced a ban on fracking, saying that fracking was the most emotionally charged issue he had dealt with, even compared to gay marriage or the death penalty.

His decision followed a study by the New York state health department and the conclusion by acting State Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard A. Zucker, who said the examination had found 'significant public health risks' associated with fracking. He said he would not want his family to live beside a frack site.

Field studies are underway in Fermanagh and Leitrim as part of a two-year joint research programme led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR); and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to investigate the potential impacts of fracking on the environment and human health.

'We've been inspired by the strength and diversity of the many local organisations that we've met. What they've done so far is fantastic. The momentum is on the side of a ban on fracking,' John tells The Impartial Reporter. 'Fracking is not safe for New York and it's not safe for Ireland.' The American campaigners spoke at an event in The Ballroom of Romance at Glenfarne and visited Cleggan quarry outside Belcoo, where Australian fracking company Tamboran had intended to drill stratigraphic (test) borehole last July to examine the presence of shale gas, prompting 22 days of protest at the gates of the disused quarry. The trip was jointly organised by Good Energies Alliance Ireland, Love Leitrim and Northwest Network Against Fracking.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Mr. Armstrong explained: 'FrackAction started five years ago as a reaction to the proposal of fracking. We campaigned for a moratorium on fracking first after seeing the disaster of fracking in Pennsylvania.

'Like Ireland, New York state initially began by studying the environmental impacts of fracking but more and more scientists called for research into public health.

'We had hundreds of doctors, scientists and health professionals speaking out against fracking and that encouraged businesses, nurses and teachers to speak out in opposition. The New York state ban on fracking is based on a multiple year's long review by the New York state Department of Health that includes 400 peer-reviewed studies into fracking.' Mr. Armstrong continues: 'As New Yorkers learned more about fracking, they were absolutely opposed to it. We had the benefit and the tragedy of seeing fracking for ourselves elsewhere. There were hundreds of water contaminations, air pollution, people were getting respiratory sicknesses, asthma, sores and leisions. It was really sad to see the destruction that fracking brings.' Speaking at Friday night's meeting Eddie Mitchell of Love Leitrim said that CDM Smith, which has been appointed to lead the EPA research, 'describe themselves as 'a service provider for the oil and gas industry'.' He added: 'This research that they have won the contract for is answering the question about how to regulate the industry in Ireland. It's not asking the question whether to frack or not.' Australian exploration company Tamboran intend to sue two Stormont departments over thwarted plans to drill for shale gas in Fermanagh. It has sought leave for a judicial review against Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan and Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster, whose decisions earlier this year effectively stopped it from carrying out investigatory work at the former quarry site in Belcoo.