John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator O'Meara for raising the issue. As she said, I previously dealt with this important subject in the House on 9 April. It may be useful to summarise the main issues covered at the time.

Silvermines has a long history of mining, spanning more than 1,000 years. While mining was economically beneficial to the locality, it has left its mark on the environment, including old spoil dumps, mineshafts and derelict buildings left behind after mining activities ceased.

A report of an inter-agency investigation into the presence and influence of lead in Silvermines was published in June 2000. Some 36 of the inter-agency's 39 recommendations have been implemented or are ongoing. Acting on one of the recommendations, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources appointed SRK Consulting to carry out an integrated study of the remediation and management needs of the entire area.

One of the problem areas is Gortmore tailings dam, which was owned and managed by Mogul Ireland under a state mining lease which expired in December 1998. The Department was legally advised that under clause K of the mining lease issued to Mogul there is a once off call on the lessee to remediate former mined sites at Silvermines. Mogul is responsible for about 50% of the sites; the other 50% were mined under private leases which have ceased and for which no responsibility can be attached to the former operators.