Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent of any oil, mineral, gas or other valuable discoveries in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30429/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of oil, gas or other drilling explorations currently in progress on or offshore; the degree to which commercial viability has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30430/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together.

There have been no new commercial discoveries of oil and gas, or other minerals within the jurisdiction of the Irish State in the past twelve months. While there are no petroleum drilling operations currently in progress on or offshore within the jurisdiction of the Irish State, plans are at an advanced stage for the drilling of an appraisal well in the Celtic Sea and this drilling operation could begin as early as November.

With regard to non-petroleum minerals 517 mineral prospecting licences are currently active. Drilling is a feature of exploration activities and takes place from time to time in each licence area. Details of these licences can be found in the six-monthly report to the Oireachtas, which I am obliged to lay before the Houses under the Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999. This report is also available on my Department's website.

While no new commercially viable deposits of non-petroleum minerals have been discovered in the past ten years, there have been some encouraging results, particularly in Counties Limerick and Clare. However, it is too early to determine whether these results will lead to identification of commercially viable deposits or to estimate the economic benefits that might accrue.