Mention “fracking” in some parts of the country (we’re looking at you, Leitrim) and the reception might be less than welcoming. Presumably aware of this, the Government has been cautious on deciding whether it likes or dislikes the practice. Advocates point to a new, cost-effective source of fuel; enemies cite potential risks to water supply.

Last year, the Government sidestepped the controversy by saying it was awaiting further research and, in January, the Environmental Protection Agency stepped into this breach by launching a public consultation on the draft terms of reference for research into fracking. That public consultation closed in March, with the research itself expected to be commissioned around the middle of the year. Clearly, nothing is to be decided quickly.

It was thus a small surprise to see Forfás, the State adviser on science and innovation among other subjects, enter the fracking fray. In its annual Costs of Doing Business in Ireland study, under the energy policy section, it recommends the development of a new energy framework to facilitate "the development of gas storage and new and diverse sources of gas (eg fracking) to ensure that Ireland has a cost-effective, secure and diverse electricity fuel mix in the future".

Nestled on page 71 of a 100- page report, the potentially explosive reference hardly stands out, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ruffle feathers.