In a motion by Green Party members to stop the development of a €125m natural gas processing plant in Cork Harbour as well as further oil and gas exploration off the Cork coast has failed.

Green Party councillor Alan O'Connor had sought to have the ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure and exploration enshrined in the forthcoming Cork County Development Plan, which is a blueprint currently being drawn up for development in the region for the next six years.

County council chief executive Tim Lucey said current national policy on energy security "does not support the stance of opposing the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure, or opposing the exploration for gas and oil covered by existing exploration licences.”

Mr O'Connor argued several major studies had shown no new fossil fuel infrastructure or exploration should take place if the world is to address climate change.

His party colleague Liam Quaide said thousands of scientists had flagged the climate emergency and increased melting of permafrost was one of the “dire warnings” that needed to be heeded now, and there needed to be a decarbonisation of the Irish energy system.

More reading the Irish Examiner has here.