Results 12,841-12,860 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Petroleum and Gas Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I confirm to the Deputy my satisfaction that the current exploration licensing process is fully compliant with the requirements of both European and domestic law with respect to public participation in environmental assessment, including the requirements of EU Directives 2003/4/EC and 2003/35/EC. The environmental assessment process implemented in Ireland is as follows. In advance of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Petroleum and Gas Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I fundamentally disagree with the Deputy, who has the matter completely wrong. I have in my hand a list of 100 organisations, all of which were written to, in direct and personal letters, in connection with the EIS document, which is a report on the consultation process. Among those consulted directly were Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Authority, Dún...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Offshore Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The joint committee published its report on offshore oil finds in May. The report recommends an increase in the tax rate to 80%, but it does not address the continuing low level of offshore exploration and makes no suggestion on how it can be improved. It also makes it very clear that even if there were to be changes from its perspective, they could not apply retrospectively. The key...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Offshore Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I reject all of those assertions because they do not make sense. As I said, we have had a very small number of drills off our coast compared to the numbers in Britain and Norway because of the fact that there is a much better chance of finding oil off their shores. We have to get companies to invest here and we are getting them. However, during the years, the graph showing the number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Offshore Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Standard Exploration Licence 2/11, which was issued last year, is held by a consortium comprising Providence Resources Plc and PSE Seven Heads Ltd. over an area of approximately 380 square kilometres in the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin-Wicklow coast. The licence is for a six-year period with an obligation to drill an exploration well by August 2014. The licensees have not as yet...

Topical Issue Debate: Leader Programmes (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy O'Mahony for the manner in which he has raised this matter. The Deputy has raised some important issues, which I will bring to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Hogan, for direct reply to him. It is important that the Minister ensures that the funding programmes are delivered in an efficient and effective manner and in compliance with EU and national requirements. When...

Topical Issue Debate: Leader Programmes (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Funding of €314 million is available under the Leader elements of the rural development programme for allocation to qualifying projects up to the end of 2013. There are 35 local action groups or Leader companies contracted on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to deliver the rural development programme throughout the country. These groups are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 21 and 43 together. The Aarhus Convention, which is implemented through the Public Participation Directive, obliges the State to adopt all measures necessary to ensure that, before consent is given, projects likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, inter alia, of their nature, size or location are made subject to an assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Land Acquisitions (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can confirm for the Deputy that neither I nor my Department has had any discussions with Tamboran Resources regarding land purchases.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is a core policy objective of my Department to maximise the benefits to the State from exploration for, and production of, our indigenous petroleum resources, while at the same time ensuring that activities are conducted safely and with due regard to their impact on the environment and other land/sea users. In relation to the Barryroe oil discovery, results of tests carried out earlier...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Energy Resources (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 39 together. Petroleum exploration authorisations are currently held by a number of companies in respect of areas in the Porcupine Basin off the Kerry coast. Drilling operations have not been carried under any of these authorisations to date, though I understand that plans are in progress for the commencement next year of drilling operations on the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Offshore Exploration (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I have no proposals for a new offshore licensing and permitting regime at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: The number of Mineral Prospecting Licences and Petroleum Exploration Licences granted in each year between 1January 2008 and to date in 2012 are set out in the following table: Licences Granted during period 2008 – 2012 Year Prospecting Licences (Minerals) Petroleum Exploration Licences 2008 91 5 2009 66 1 2010 93 0 2011 98 2 2012 102 (to 26 Nov. 2012) 0 (to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Hydraulic Fracturing Policy (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I can confirm, that until there has been time to consider the second stage of the EPA research on the environmental implications of hydraulic fracturing as a means of extracting natural gas from underground reserves, the terms of reference for which are currently being scoped, that the use of hydraulic fracturing will not be authorised over any area in the Lough Allen Basin.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: My Department has met with representatives from Tamboran Resources on a number of occasions, one of which such meetings I attended. These meetings are normal practice in the on-going engagement between my Department as regulator and the holders of exploration authorisations. The most recent meeting took place earlier this month when the company provided my Department with a detailed update...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Taxation Policy (29 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: Incremental advances in technologies of relevance to the international oil and gas exploration industry will not in general confer any greater advantage on Ireland relative to other countries with whom Ireland competes to attract mobile international exploration investment. Notwithstanding some positive recent indications, it is worth recalling that the Corrib gas field, which was discovered...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Exploration Licences (28 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 169 together. Firstly, I should clarify that no petroleum exploration activity has been licensed in Dublin Bay. The exploration licence held by Providence Resources and their partners PSE Seven Heads Limited is over an area of the Kish Bank Basin off the Dublin/Wicklow coast. The licence is for a six year period and includes an obligation to drill...

Seanad: Employment Equality (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator. I will make him a Senator for life.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Inland Fisheries (21 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am advised by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the information sought is available in respect of those fisheries that are public fisheries. I am advised that no salmon catches were recorded on the River Maine which has been closed for the years in question. IFI advise that they conducted a pilot study in the Castlemaine Fishery in 2010 which led to the opening of that Fishery in 2011...

Credit Union Bill 2012 (Resumed): Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2012)

Fergus O'Dowd: He would not go anyway.