Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 301: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that sufficient capacity exists to supply sufficient quantities of sand and gravel for major infrastructure development and construction development proposed over the next 20 years; if he will put an estimate on the scale of such resources available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40570/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Ireland is fortunate that it possesses considerable quantities not only of sand and gravel, but also of rock material that is suitable for the manufacture of aggregates. As a result it is at present self sufficient in aggregates reserves. However, the enormous increase in demand for aggregates in recent years for the construction sector has placed considerable pressure on existing sources of supply and related land banks.

Recent estimates suggest that 130 million tonnes of aggregates are used annually in Ireland which has one of the highest per-capita rates of consumption in Europe. No estimate exists of the scale of available aggregate resources nationally (whether of rock material or sand and gravel) and accordingly, it is not known whether sufficient resources exist to cover infrastructure and construction needs over the next 20 years and in areas where they are needed most.

The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), a division of my Department, has carried out Aggregate Potential Mapping (APM) in Counties Donegal, Meath and Wicklow to date. This mapping is intended to delineate areas with potential resources of aggregates for the information of planning authorities to ensure that potential sources are not sterilised inadvertently by competing land uses and to indicate the distribution of potential sources. It may be desirable to expand the area of coverage of such mapping in coming years. While it will not yield a precise estimate of resources it will provide guidance to planners in making critical land use decisions.