Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 1512: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the terms of the licence he has granted to a consortium (details supplied) to store fossil fuels in Dublin Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29680/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I assume the authorisation to which the Deputy is referring is the Licensing Option recently awarded by the Department to Providence Resources plc and Star Energy Oil and Gas Ltd over an area on the Kish Bank. This authorisation relates solely to an assessment of the hydrocarbon potential of the area in question.

While I understand that the companies also propose to undertake a review of available information in a desk-top study in relation to the possible potential of the area as a location for gas storage or CO2 sequestration, this study is not being carried out under the licensing option. If they were to propose physical work in the area in question, they would require appropriate authorisation from my Department.