Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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289. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will instruct his Department to extend the deadline for the town hall consultation meetings for stakeholders in relation to mineral exploration and mining here beyond 22 October 2021 to facilitate an open and in-person consultation that will not disenfranchise rural communities that have restricted access to internet connection considering the final phase of the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic comes into effect on 22 October 2021 which will see most of the remaining Covid-19 restrictions lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51163/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The ten-week public consultation on the draft Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report and Appropriate Assessment Natura Impact Statement began on 30 July 2021.  Notices to highlight the public consultation were placed online and where possible (if public contact details were available) direct emails or messages were sent to stakeholders, including community groups.  A newspaper notice to highlight the consultation was also placed in every regional newspaper and a national newspaper in early September.

To raise awareness of the consultation and highlight issues in the sector of public interest so that people could make informed submissions, and with consideration of the public health guidelines at the time, the Department organised online information sessions for the week of 20 September 2021 and an online stakeholder townhall event for 6 October 2021 to give stakeholders an opportunity to hear, express and discuss views on the draft policy statement and mineral sector in Ireland.  A number of presenters, including representatives from eNGOs, community groups, industry and research were invited by the Department to present at this townhall.  A comprehensive consultation process has been undertaken and it is not proposed to extend the consultation period beyond 15 October 2021.

The submissions received by the Department as part of this consultation by post or email will inform the final Policy Statement, which will be submitted to Government for consideration.