Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 354: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which explorations licences issued in each of the past three years to date have been activated or are likely to be so activated in the near future; if he will further outline the degree to which he expects the State to benefit from any revenues or royalties accruing therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31002/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of individual explorations of oil and gas and or other mineral resources currently on-hand or contemplated on and off-shore; the extent, if any to which commercially viable results have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31004/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 356 together.

Exploration licences are valid from the date of issue and are granted on the basis of the performance of a work programme by the licence holders. Exploration activity related to the agreed work programmes for each of the exploration licences issued in the last three years is ongoing. In the event of a commercial discovery arising from petroleum exploration licences awarded since 1 January 2007, the State would benefit from a tax on profits of between 25% and 40% depending on the profitability of the field. A commercial discovery would also help strengthen Ireland's energy security of supply and have a positive impact on Ireland's efforts to attract an increased share of international exploration investment.

There are 18 petroleum exploration licences at present and while there have been a number of discoveries of oil and gas in recent years, none have been declared commercial to date. The only petroleum discovery that has been declared commercial but has yet to come into production is the Corrib Gas Field. With regard to non-petroleum minerals as of 21st June 2012, there are 592 mineral prospecting licences currently held by 45 companies. Once issued, all licences are active.

While no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered in the past three 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. Details of all exploration licences can be found in the six-monthly reports to the Oireachtas, which I am obliged to lay before the Houses under the Petroleum and other Minerals Development Act 1960 and Minerals Development Acts, 1940 to 1999 respectively. The last such reports are in respect of the six-month period ending 31 December 2011. These reports are also available on the Department's website at: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Natural/Petroleum+Affairs+Division/Acreage+and+Activity+Reports/ and http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Natural/Exploration+and+Mining+Division/Oireachtas+Reports/