Residents from Ballinlea have organised a meeting (Tues 25th, 8pm, Ballintoy Parish Hall, Whitepark Road (junction with Ballinlea Rd), to give local people an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in local oil and gas explorations, and to hear from visiting expert Dr Geralyn McCarron, about possible health impacts from oil and gas exploration – drawing on her first hand experiences working as a GP and health impacts researcher in Australia. (Read her latest study here: Symptomatology of a gas field [An independent health survey in the Tara rural residential estates and environs] (April 2013), and a new report she recommends by Doctors for the Environment Australia on the resource industry and human health: DEA_-_The_Health_Factor_05-13)

The company (Rathlin Energy) that holds a petroleum exploration licence for the whole north coast area of Northern Ireland (from Ballycastle to Limavady, and inland to Garvagh), is currently seeking planning approval to drill a second exploratory well at Ballinlea in Co Antrim. (They have indicated that they may need to drill multiple wells to extract the oil they think is there.) See: http://epicpublic.planningni.gov.uk/PublicAccess/zd/zdApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=MOMY19SV30000)
PLEASE NOTE: This Tuesday night meeting should not be confused with the two information evenings being run on Thursday (27th) and Friday (28th) by Rathlin Energy, in Mosside Community Centre, and Ballinlea Orange Hall respectively, for local residents. (Some residents in the Ballinlea area have received letters from the company about these events which will provide more detail about the company’s intended drilling operation, and issues related to their current planning application.)