Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 424: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the exploration work which is being done in the Kish Bank area of Dublin Bay for natural resource exploitation; the environmental impact statements which have been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35835/09]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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VP Power Ltd. has a prospecting licence for the Kish Bank area since August 2007. The holder of a prospecting licence is entitled only to prospect for minerals. Any application to mine would require a State Mining Facility from the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, which would be subject to a public consultation process. Mining would also require planning permission from the local authority which involves Environmental Impact Assessment. An Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Licence would also be required from the Environmental Protection Agency.