Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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161. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the resolutions tput forward for persons living in the Robinstown and Shambo area of County Meath whose well has possibly been affected by an event (details supplied); if any solutions have been discussed regarding this issue; and if any solution taken will be carried out in consultation with the persons effected by this event. [56615/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On the 20th November, 2021 an incident occurred at a drill site within Prospecting Licence Area 4502. This incident was an in-rush of water into an exploration tunnel, the Tara Deep Exploration Drive (TRDEX), constructed from the South West Extension (SWEX) area of Tara Boliden’s Navan mine. The flow rate increased over the next few days flooding the tunnel and underground workings. The in-rush was stopped on 2nd December 2021.

In January 2022, the Geoscience Regulation Office (GSRO) in my Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Meath County Council commissioned Wardell Armstrong International (WAI) to undertake an independent hydrogeological review of the Boliden Tara Deep Deposit and surrounding area. The objectives of this review were to:

- Review and appraise the conceptual hydrogeological model of the mine for the Tara Deep Area,

- Assess the monitoring regime being undertaken for the Tara Deep Area,

- Review the most likely causes of the November 2021 in-rush of water into the mine, and

- Try and determine whether there was a linkage or not between the mining activities and the drop in groundwater levels in the nearby Robinstown-Shambo area. Reduced water levels were recorded since at least early summer 2021.

Conversely, the assessment also needed to consider if there is a natural explanation for this or some other ‘hydrological’ reason. Boliden Tara Mines, as licence holder, has an obligation to carry out all operations within the licensed area in such manner as not to interfere unnecessarily with the amenities of the locality in which the licensed area is situate. The independent assessment by WA, published on 20th October 2022, found that the community wells in the Shambo/Robinstown area were affected by the inrush event that began in November 2021 and, plausibly, by the tunnelling of TRDEX.

The GSRO, as regulator, is engaging with Boliden Tara Mines to ensure that its activities, both current and future, satisfy the terms and conditions of its licence. Further, the GSRO is engaging with Boliden Tara Mines regarding durable solutions in respect of water supply issues to residents in the affected communities.

The GSRO is committed to ensuring that there are appropriate monitoring and preventative measures in place into the future. As the regulator of the relevant prospecting licence, the GSRO has requested that the current arrangements for supply of potable water to the affected residents should continue in the interim to ensure no interference with the amenity.