Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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140. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how many prospect mining licences have been issued in County Clare on a yearly basis for 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; how many are under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31206/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In relation to Prospecting Licences issued in respect of County Clare, the following is the case:

• One existing licence was renewed in 2021;
• Zero licences were issued in 2022; and
• One new licence was issued in 2023.

In relation to State Mining Facilities, no such facilities have been issued in County Clare in the years 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what environmental impact is expected in County Clare following the issuance of mining prospect licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31207/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Prospecting has been occurring within Co Clare for over half a century. Despite such a prolonged period of exploration activity, significant effects on the environment have not arisen from previous prospecting. There are no significant adverse effects that are likely to arise from the issuance of Prospecting Licences (PLs) in Co Clare.

All mineral exploration activities take place within a framework of Irish and EU legislation that has been implemented to ensure that the environment is protected. Prospecting Licence holders must comply with all relevant legislation including:

• EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations, 2011 (SI No 477 of 2011)
• EC Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations, 2010 (SI No 9 of 2010)
• EC Environmental Objectives (Surface Water) Regulations, 2009 (SI No 272 of 2009)
• EU (Appropriate Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment Regulations 2018 (SI No 385 of 2018)
• EU (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment Regulations 2018 (SI No 384 of 2018)
• EU (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment Regulations 2019 (SI No 164 of 2019)

Furthermore, all proposed exploration activities are the subject of environmental screening assessments to ensure that they will not give rise to any significant adverse effects on the environment. The majority of prospecting activities undertaken by licensees (e.g. geological mapping, hammer prospecting, geochemical sampling and ground geophysical surveys) are temporary, low impact and cause minimal disturbance. Where they are undertaken outside of the footprint of designated sites, these activities are not likely to have a significant effect on the environment.

In the event that drilling is proposed, the activity will be subject to detailed environmental screening assessments undertaken by environmental consultants on behalf of the Geoscience Regulation Office. Drilling also requires the consent of the relevant landowner/tenant. Drilling will only be permitted where screening assessments indicate that there is no potential for significant environmental effects.

It is important that a distinction be made between the activities of prospecting and mining which are very different in terms of their scale and potential environmental impact. Prospecting relates only to exploration for minerals and a Prospecting Licence does not confer the licensee with any rights to mine. Mining as the activity of removing minerals from the ground requires three State consents from three different bodies: planning permission; an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) or an Industrial Emissions (IE) Licence; and a State Mining Lease or Licence. Prospecting does not inevitably lead to mining. While approximately one fifth of Ireland’s land area is covered by active PLs. Despite such wide-ranging exploration activity, only a small number of metal mining operations have been developed in the ‘modern’ era.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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142. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what incentives are in place to attract foreign investment into the domestic mining industry; the logic behind same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31208/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Mining is economically important to Ireland, particularly in rural areas as it provides direct and indirect employment as well as Exchequer funds. Mineral exploration and mining involve high levels of financial risk. In accordance with the Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining, Ireland’s policy is to attract international investment to these sectors, by providing investors with confidence through a stable regulatory environment, a competitive fiscal framework and high-quality national geoscience data.

Progress towards this objective is undertaken via Implementation Principles and Actions contained in the Policy Statement, specifically:

• Principle C2: To facilitate investment by private companies in exploration and mining activities, the regulatory process should be clear and transparent, fair, stable, with permissions obtained on a timely basis and providing security of tenure.
• Principle C3: Maximise the value to the Exchequer from mineral exploration and mining by ensuring that Ireland is competitive in attracting investment in the mineral exploration and mining sectors. In the context of the Geoscience Bill and the establishment of the Geoscience Regulation Office (GSRO) independently of the Department, Fiscal Framework for Mineral Exploration and Mining will be reviewed to ensure it is fair, equitable and consistent.
• Principle D3: Ireland’s geoscience data analytics and research capacity should be supported to deepen the available knowledge of Ireland’s geology for geothermal energy, minerals and water and other uses. Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) will, in discussion with GSRO, examine ways to further promote the compilation, availability and accessibility of mineral data, including to the public, and highlight the role that geoscience and technical data and can play in attracting investment.
• Principle E1: Promote our industry abroad as world class in terms of our expertise, sustainable mining practices and skilled workforce in order to continue to attract inward investment and facilitate Irish companies and personnel to compete for international contracts. Officials from the Geoscience Policy Division (GSPD) and GSI in my Department will represent Ireland at international conferences, exhibitions and other mineral related fora, such as the annual convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).