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

I have not yet been consulted by the Taoiseach with regard to fossil fuel advertising. While I would, in principle, support such a ban, advertising standards do not fall within the remit of my Department. However, much has been done to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which I believe answers the call of Secretary General Guterres. Our Department no longer accepts new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil, nor will there be any future licensing rounds. A policy statement on petroleum exploration and production in Ireland was published in August 2022 reflecting the current policy and legislative position of the Government on petroleum exploration and production. Recent legislative amendments made to the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 have placed this commitment on a statutory basis. Work is ongoing, furthermore, to end the issuing of prospecting licences, mining licences or leases for coal, lignite and oil shale through the provisions of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 to be commenced soon. More generally, work is continuing to end our reliance on fossil fuels through the development of renewable and sustainable energy sources.

Our membership of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance and our international leadership by not exploring for fossil fuels, not investing State funds in fossil fuel companies, the measures I mentioned and the end of fracking in Ireland give us a response to Secretary General Guterres that is different from that of most other countries. How we would go further in advertising is something that our Department does not have responsibility for. In principle, I can see the merit of what the Secretary General is saying, but how exactly it would be applied is something that needs to be considered. No work has been done to date in my Department, or any other I am aware of, to turn that into a reality.

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