Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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556. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government what contacts have been made with his Department by the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure in relation to transboundary issues arising from plans for mining in the Sperrins; what arrangements, if any, have made been to facilitate public engagement and consultation in this jurisdiction in relation to these transboundary issues; what concerns his Department has about transboundary impacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2899/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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559. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure has formally notified the Government of the gold mine application in the Sperrins AONB, as required under the Espoo Convention and EIA Regulations, given the shared waterways between both jurisdictions. [3305/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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560. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a formal notification has been made of the gold mine application in the Sperrins AONB; when this will be published in a national newspaper in the Republic of Ireland to ensure full public awareness, particularly regarding potential impacts on the River Finn SAC and species such as the Atlantic salmon. [3306/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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561. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps the Government will take to ensure that proper transboundary environmental impact assessments are conducted for the Sperrins AONB gold mine project, particularly concerning water quality and ecology in the River Finn SAC, as required under the Habitats Directive. [3307/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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562. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the length of time the public consultation period in the Republic of Ireland will last for the Sperrins AONB gold mine project; and what efforts will be made to engage relevant environmental authorities and the public, given the significant potential environmental and health risks associated with the proposed gold mine and its infrastructure. [3308/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 559 to 562, inclusive, together.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU), as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU), and the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (the Espoo Convention) both set out the obligations of Member States/Parties to assess the environmental impact of certain activities or proposed development at an early stage of planning. They also lay down the general obligation of States to notify and consult other States on all major projects under consideration that are likely to have a significant adverse transboundary environmental impact.

My Department is responsible for ensuring that the planning system in Ireland is compliant with the State’s EU and International planning obligations, which includes the EIA Directive and Espoo Convention processes in the Irish planning system. Ensuring that the EIA Directive or Espoo Convention obligations of Promoters or potential development applicants in another jurisdiction are adhered to, is a matter for the appropriate authorities in that jurisdiction, in accordance with their respective domestic legislation transposing such EIA Directive/ Espoo Convention obligations.

In managing the State’s participation in the Espoo Convention, my Department’s role involves processing transboundary EIA notifications received from other jurisdictions concerning proposed development that may have a transboundary environmental impact in this State. Given the broad range of activities covered by the Espoo Convention, on receipt of a transboundary notification, consultation is required with the relevant competent authorities in the State whose subject matter experts will determine whether or not Ireland should participate in transboundary consultation.

I can confirm that a transboundary EIA notification was received by my Department on Thursday 30 January 2025 from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in Northern Ireland. This notification concerns an application received by DfI for gold mining activities including surface level development such as a processing plant and associated ancillary works, at Greencastle, Co Tyrone.

My Department is currently reviewing the notification received and will consult with appropriate State authorities (i.e. relevant Government Departments and State Agencies) in due course to determine if transboundary consultation is necessary. If the conclusion is that transboundary consultation is required, a public consultation will form part of that process. The standard timeline for such public consultations is usually six weeks from the date a notice is published in a national newspaper. During such public consultations, members of the public are provided with access to all of the relevant documentation associated with the proposed development including the planning application and any environmental reports, and are provided with an opportunity to participate by making submissions to the competent authority concerned; in the case of this application that is the DfI in Northern Ireland.