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

I would now like to address briefly my intention to bring forward certain amendments to this Bill on Committee Stage to give effect to programme for Government commitments. The Government has set a clear pathway towards less reliance on fossil fuels across every sector of our society. It specifically contains a commitment to end the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas on the same basis as the decision taken in 2019 by the previous Government relating to oil exploration and extraction. Upon taking office, I made the above commitment effective immediately. My Department is no longer accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil nor will there be any future licensing rounds.

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