David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which oil, gas or other explorations have identified commercial finds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5409/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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There have been four commercial finds of natural gas, namely the Kinsale, Ballycotton and Seven Heads fields in the Celtic Sea off the south coast and the Corrib field in the Slyne Basin off the west coast. There have has also been some finds that have proved to be non-commercial.

With regard to non-petroleum, no new economic deposits have been discovered in recent years. There have been some encouraging results however. Exploration adjacent to existing base metal mines at Navan, Co. Meath (Tara Mines Ltd.) and Galmoy, Co. Kilkenny (Arcon Mines Ltd.) has discovered additional resources, which have the potential to extend the life of those mines.