Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 734: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if there is a provision under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act of 1960, to enable the compulsory purchase of land to facilitate the onshore extraction of gas; the bodies or persons on which these powers are conferred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17873/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Section 23 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960, as amended, provides a power for the compulsory acquisition of land and ancillary rights by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Specifically, Section 23 provides that whenever the Minister is of the opinion that it is necessary for the efficient or convenient exploitation of petroleum (which includes gas) to acquire any land, or any ancillary right, the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, may by order compulsorily acquire, either permanently or temporarily, such land or such ancillary right.

Section 24 of the Act sets out the process with which the Minister must comply should he seek to exercise the power conferred on him by Section 23 of the Act and Sections 25 and 28 of the Act address the question of compensation.