Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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257. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has received positive results from ongoing onshore or offshore exploration for oil, gas or other minerals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16638/16]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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There have been no commercial discoveries of oil or gas within the territory of the State in recent years. There has however, been a positive increase in the level of petroleum exploration activity, in particular acquisition of new seismic data and the award of 28 new Licensing Options under the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round. It is important that this activity translate into an increased level of exploration drilling in the coming years, if Ireland’s true petroleum potential is to be realised.

In a similar manner, while the number of active mineral prospecting licences, currently in excess of 500, indicates the positive prevailing state of mineral exploration in Ireland, no new commercially viable deposits of minerals have been discovered in recent years. While there have been some encouraging results, particularly in County Limerick, it is too early to determine whether these results will lead to identification of commercially viable deposits.