Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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253. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of mineral exploration licences and petroleum, oil and gas exploration licences applied for, granted and activated in the past five years, how this compares with previous licensing regimes, if particular noticeable issues have arisen in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21880/16]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Details of all petroleum exploration and mineral prospecting authorisations granted are published on my Department's website www.dcenr.gov.ieon a quarterly basis. In addition I am required to lay before the Oireachtas under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, and the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999, respectively half yearly reports detailing all petroleum and mineral exploration authorisations granted during the period of the report. The last such report under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 was in respect of the six-month period ending 30 June 2016, and the last report under the Minerals Development Acts was in respect of the six month period ending 31 December 2015 with the report for the next six month period being completed shortly.  These reports are also available on my Department’s website. The tables outline, in respect of both petroleum exploration licences and mineral prospecting licences, the number of applications received by my Department and the number of licences granted over the last five years to date.

Petroleum Exploration Licences

Mineral Prospecting Licences

The current petroleum exploration and production licensing regime is underpinned by the Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production 2007 (“2007 Licensing Terms”) which sets out the different forms of petroleum authorisation and the conditions that apply to such authorisations. The 2007 Licensing Terms, which are available on my Department’s website, replaced the Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production 1992. Once issued all petroleum authorisations are active.

The current mineral exploration licensing regime has been in place since the 1990s. The licensing regime is underpinned by the 1994 Licensing Terms and Procedures for Prospecting Licences.  This regime has been recognised by the Fraser Institute of Canada Survey of Mining Companies for 2015 which ranked Ireland first globally in the Policy Perception Index. This index ranks the attractiveness of Government mining policies to industry. There are currently 500 mineral active prospecting licences.  Such licences are normally granted for an initial period of six years and may be renewed for a further six years.  Thereafter, licences may be renewed for one or two years, as appropriate.  Once issued, all licences are active.  Information relating to prospecting licence fees, expenditure commitments, environmental guidelines and application forms are available on my Department's website.