Written answers
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Mining Industry
Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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139. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the process for granting a mining license; to detail the number and location of mining licenses currently active; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5509/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Mining activity requires three separate consents obtained from three different agencies:
- Planning permission from the relevant Local Authority;
- An Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) or an Industrial Emissions (IE) Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These licences contain strict conditions on how a mine must operate to protect the environment from pollution; and
- A mining lease or licence issued by me as the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.
The Geoscience Regulation Office (GSRO) sets out details of State Mining Leases, State Mining Licenses and Prospecting Licenses in its Six Monthly Reports to the Oireachtas on Mineral Exploration and Mining in Ireland (www.gov.ie/en/collection/d460d-six-monthly-reports-to-the-oireachtas-on-mineral-exploration-and-mining-in-ireland/).
Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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140. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the reasoning for the granting approval of a prospecting license in west Cork (details supplied); if he has been made aware of the concerns of local people in regard to possible future mining activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5510/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the Minerals Development Acts 1940-1999, the Minister is required to give public notice of his intention to grant a Prospecting Licence. In this case, the Minister’s notice was published in the Southern Star on 30 January 2025 and also on gov.ie. The public has until 2 March 2025 to make submissions in relation to the Minister’s Intention to grant the licences. All valid submissions received prior to this date will be assessed by my Department before a final decision is made on whether or not to grant the licences.
It is important to emphasise that Prospecting Licences are not mining licences. Prospecting Licences only permit the company to undertake exploration activities such as geological mapping, geochemical sampling and ground geophysical surveys. These activities are temporary and involve minimal disturbance. No mining is permitted to take place under a Prospecting Licence. Any mining would require additional consents from a number of different agencies, including planning permission from the local authority and an Integrated Pollution Control or Industrial Emissions Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
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