Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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37. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the details of all licences issued since 2016 for oil and gas exploration; the number and status of licences under consideration by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15997/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Section 57 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 requires that I lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas every six months a report detailing all exploration activities, including petroleum exploration authorisations granted during the period of the report. The last such report laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas was in respect of the six-month period ending 30 June 2020. In addition, a report on the status of all petroleum authorisations is published on a quarterly basis on my Department's website. The most recent such report was published in respect of the three month period ending 30 June 2020.

The number of Licensing Options and Exploration Licences for oil and gas exploration granted since 2016 is outlined in the following table:

There are 5 existing applications relating to licensing options and conversions to exploration licences under consideration by my Department.

The Deputy should note that I have given immediate effect to the Programme for Government commitment in relation to ending new licences for exploration and extraction of gas.