Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 507: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of gas, oil or other mineral exploration licences issued in each of the past five years to date; the number of locations at which exploration is currently taking place; the extent if any to which commercially viable results are indicated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24203/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The table hereunder set out the position in relation to the number of mineral prospecting licences and petroleum exploration licences granted in each of the past five years to date.

Licenses Granted during period 2007 - 20011

Petroleum exploration is ongoing at 16 locations mainly off the south and west coasts. There have been a number of discoveries of oil and gas in the Irish Offshore in recent years, however none of these has been declared commercial to date. The only petroleum discovery that has been declared commercial but has yet to be developed is the Corrib Gas Field.

There is a total of five hundred and seventeen active mineral prospecting licences. Details of these licences can be found in the six-monthly report to the Oireachtas, which the Minister is obliged to lay before the House under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999. These reports are available on the Department's website. While no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered in recent years, there have been some encouraging results.