Written answers

Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Offshore Exploration

9:00 pm

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the natural resources around the coastline, such as oil in the Porcupine Basin and gas in Dublin Bay, are licensed to international companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17839/10]

Photo of Conor LenihanConor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is responsible for licensing petroleum exploration in the Irish offshore. There are eight exploration licences covering areas of the Porcupine Basin and one licensing option in the Kish Bank off the coast of Dublin. These authorisations are held by partnerships involving both Irish and international companies and permit the holders to explore for both oil and gas. There are no authorisations to extract oil or gas in these areas as no commercial discoveries have been made.

Details of current petroleum authorisations are contained in two reports published by the Department. The first of these is the six-monthly report on petroleum licensing laid before each House of the Oireachtas under Section 57 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960. The second is the quarterly acreage report published on the Department's website www.dcenr.gov.ie.

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