Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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316. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the function of the TELLUS project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30351/14]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Tellus Border Project is a regional mapping project collecting geo-environmental data on soils, water and rocks in the six border counties of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. The project acquired airborne geophysical data using specially adapted planes and chemical data from sampling and detailed analysis of streams and soils. The project follows a similar one that was successfully completed in Northern Ireland. It recently completed data acquisition in the six border counties and there is continuing data analysis, including that collected in Northern Ireland.

Information from the project will assist environmental management and support sustainable development of natural resources in the border region. Critically the data allows improvement in geological mapping, which can then be applied by public authorities and all sectors utilising the revised maps, including groundwater protection, aggregate development, mineral exploration and environmental protection. The associated geochemical data is particularly applicable to agricultural productivity and animal health, while airborne radiometric data is being used to improve radon mapping in conjunction with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The data and associated reports are all made available freely over the web, via the project website www.tellusborder.eu and a final Post Project Evaluation report on Tellus Border will be posted online later in July.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that to date the project has delivered high quality baseline data sets that will no doubt contribute greatly to policy formulation in such areas as health, agriculture, environment, while at the same time encouraging research, innovation and inward investment in these areas. I also believe that it should be of great benefit to the private sector in these areas.

Tellus Border was funded by the INTERREG IVA programme of the European Regional Development Fund, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (www.seupb.eu). The project is additionally part-funded by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (Ireland) and the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).

The project was a cross-border initiative between the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, the Geological Survey of Ireland, Queen's University Belfast and Dundalk Institute of Technology.