Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I take it from the Minister of State's answer that this measure is about developing the oil and gas exploration industry. There is a certain irony for those interested in the whole protection of nature that the very industry causing such damage, changing the North Atlantic, altering the feeding patterns and causing immediate harm to these creatures due to the exploration work, is now being wrapped in the description of it being a beneficial step forward. If he does find that there are certain areas where there are very large populations or specifically sensitive important feeding operations etc. for whales, dolphins or sea birds will the Minister of State exclude those areas from any future exploration? What is the purpose of this programme? Is it just to provide a baseline to help the oil and gas exploration industry do an environmental impact assessment or is it actually an attempt to reduce or stop the environmental impact assessment caused by those companies? Will it mean the Minister will say to certain companies, sorry but they cannot go into that area of the North Atlantic because it is sensitive and important for these other reasons?

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