Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 631: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he concluded consideration of the question whether geothermal energy is encompassed by the reference to all natural resources, including the air and all forms of potential energy in Article 10.1 of the Constitution and therefore under that Article belongs to the State; his plans for legislation to enable the State to exploit this form of energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17218/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Officials in my Department are in the process of finalising arrangements for the inaugural meeting of an informal geothermal working group. This group will consider relevant technical, legal and regulatory issues and is scheduled to report back to me later this year, setting out the options for the development of a proportionate and realistic regulatory regime for geothermal energy utilisation in Ireland. In the interim, a national consultation exercise will be undertaken in order to obtain the views of citizens and industry.