Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I move amendment No. 1:

In page 14, line 29, after “petroleum,” to insert “or”.

The purpose of the amendments in this group is to delete "dolomitic limestone" from the list of substances regarded as minerals under the Bill. In the Schedule to the Minerals Development Act 1940, dolomite and dolomitic limestone were listed as substances to be regarded as minerals within the meaning of the Act. During the development of the general scheme of the Bill, this reference was considered to require clarification and an examination of how best to define "dolomitic limestone" took place. This was a difficult technical proposition. The formula appearing under the definition of "minerals" in section 2 was arrived at following discussion and consultation. During the Seanad debate on the Bill, however, Senators raised a number of concerns regarding the practical application of the definitions "dolomite" and "dolomitic limestone". In addition, a number of Deputies, including the Vice Chairman, Deputy Lawless, and Deputies Cahill, Stanley, Sherlock and Mattie McGrath, reiterated these concerns on Second Stage in the Dáil. My officials have advised me that the practical difficulty of establishing whether a deposit contains dolomitic limestone is such that it would be best to remove dolomitic limestone from the list of substances which are regarded as minerals for the purpose of the Bill. I am advised that the mineral dolomite does not present the same technical difficulties and that there is no reason this substance, which is of higher in-use value than ordinary limestone, should not continue to be regarded as a mineral under the Bill.