Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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127. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he plans to legislate to cease the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of oil and gas as promised in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35025/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to end the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas on the same basis as the decision taken in 2019 by the previous Government in relation to oil exploration and extraction. I have made this commitment effective immediately: my Department is no longer accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil, nor will there be any future licensing rounds in Closed areas.

While there is no requirement for legislative underpinning, I have asked my officials to consider how best to give statutory underpinning, for the avoidance of any doubt, and to consider whether a suitable legislative vehicle is available in the short term.