Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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603. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the exploration prospecting licences 3435, 2899, 2900 were issued; the length of these licences; if an option exists for these licences to be renewed; if so, the timeframe; if provision is made for a further renewal after this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42868/15]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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604. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that a mining company (details supplied) in County Cork has met all the terms and conditions of the licences issued to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42869/15]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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605. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he or his Department has been informed of changes in the details of ownership or operation of the holder of certain exploration licences (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42870/15]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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606. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is aware of the work of the Allihies Parish Co-Operative Society Limited in developing a tourist facility around the old mountain mine entrance and works in Allihies in County Cork; his plans to consider excluding this area from any further licences or renewal of exploratory licences to enable this facility to be developed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42871/15]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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607. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the information and scientific analysis available for public examination for exploratory work in the area surrounding the old mountain mine in Allihies in County Cork for mineral and metal reserves over the past 75 years; when the results of current exploratory work will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42872/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 to 607, inclusive, together.

The prospecting licences (PL) for areas 3435, 2899 and 2900 were granted to Westcork Copper Mining Co. Ltd (the licensee) for a period of six years from 25 February 2010 until 24 February 2016.

PLs are reviewed by my Department every two years to ensure that the licensee has complied with all licence conditions (i.e. the licensee has carried out an acceptable work and expenditure programme and reported satisfactorily on same). The licences in question were last reviewed in April 2014 and determined to be in good standing. The next licence review is scheduled to be completed in early 2016. All Prospecting Licences contain a conditional guarantee of renewal for licensees who satisfactorily observe the terms and conditions of their existing PLs. The licensee may apply to renew their licences in February 2016 for a further six years (to 24 February 2022). Should such an application be made, it will be evaluated by my officials. PLs that are twelve years old may thereafter be renewed every two years subject to further evaluation by my officials.

To date, the licensee has not advised my Department of any changes in details of ownership or operation.

My Department makes all exploration work reports which are at least six years old available for public release. Reports can be released earlier than six years, should licensees surrender their prospecting licences. In relation to PL Areas 3435, 2899 and 2900, provisional results of the licensee's exploration are due to be made publicly available in late February 2018. Historical work reports relating to the Allihies area are available from the Exploration Report search facility on my Department’s website at .

In addition historical information on the former mining operations at Allihes can be accessed on my Department's website at .

My Department is aware of the work of the Allihies Parish Co-Operative Society Limited in developing a tourist facility around the old Mountain Mine entrance and works in Allihies, County Cork. A tourist mine project can be both beneficial to the local economy and in enhancing the perception of the mining industry in general, so long as it is undertaken with due regard to human health and safety and environmental protection.

However, as Minister of State with responsibility for natural resources, it is my primary statutory obligation to facilitate and regulate the discovery and development of new mineral deposits and as such there are currently no plans to exclude this area from prospecting.

It should be noted that all Prospecting Licences issued are restricted to exploration and do not grant any right to extraction or mining. Any plans to carry out mining will require a separate mining lease from my Department as well as Planning Permission from the Local Authority and an Integrated Pollution Control licence from the EPA.