Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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350. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the authorisations that are in effect for onshore petroleum exploration. [53711/13]

Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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351. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has undertaken to grant a company (details supplied) first option on the licensed area previously held; if so, when this decision was made; and if the company have not got an option as claimed, if he will request the company to remove this information from their website, or if he will pass the information on to the relevant Ministry and Authorities to do so. [53735/13]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together.

I wish to inform the Deputy that there are no authorisations extant in respect of onshore petroleum exploration in Ireland.

Three onshore licensing options were granted in the term of the previous Government for the two year period from 1 March 2011 to 28 February 2013, over parts of the North West Carboniferous (Lough Allen) Basin and parts of County Clare. The licensing options conferred upon the holder the first right, exercisable at any time during the period of the option, to an application for an exploration licence or licences over all or part of the area covered by the option.

Two of the three companies, Tamboran Resources and Enegi have submitted applications for a follow-on exploration licence.

My Department has carried out a preliminary examination of these applications, however further consideration has been put on hold pending the outcome of the EPA studies in relation to the use of hydraulic fracturing, the results of which can not be expected before early 2015.