Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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442. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which the most current form of mineral exploration licences have been applied for or activated to date; the way this compares with the position under previous licensing regimes; if any particularly noticeable issues have arisen in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32574/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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There are currently 656 mineral prospecting active licences. Such Licences are normally granted for an initial period of six years and may be renewed for a further six years. Thereafter, licences may be renewed for one or two years, as appropriate. Once issued, all licences are active. This regime has been in operation since the 1990s. Details of all Prospecting 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. The last such report was in respect of the six-month period ending 31st December 2013. This report is also available on my Department’s website at . The table shows the number of Prospecting Licences issued each year since 2004.

Prospecting Licences granted during the period 2004 – 2014.

* Licences granted in 2014 to 15th July

* Licences granted in 2014 to 15th July

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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444. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which any new indications of commercially viable finds of oil, gas or other minerals has been brought to his attention in each of the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32576/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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While the number of active minerals prospecting licences indicate the buoyant state of mineral exploration in Ireland, no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered in the last three years although there have been some encouraging results, particularly in Counties Limerick and Clare. It is too early, however, to determine whether these results will lead to the identification of commercially viable deposits or to estimate the economic benefits that might accrue. An agreement was reached in December 2013 with Boliden Tara Mines Ltd on the terms for new State Mining Leases, allowing for the extension of operations at the mine. There have been no commercial discoveries of oil or gas within the territory of the State in the last three years. Ireland, however, now has the highest number of petroleum exploration authorisations in place since exploration began in our offshore more than four decades ago. This demonstrates that exploration in the Irish offshore is moving in the right direction.