asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if an early re-survey of the Leinster coalfields will be arranged in view of the urgent need for additional energy resources.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Leinster Coalfields.
17.
As the Deputy is aware, a detailed survey of the Leinster coalfield area was carried out by the Geological Survey Office of my Department in the period 1959-1963. The information provided by that survey still provides a good basis for evaluation of current coal reserves in the area. However, arrangements for an up-to-date study of all data available to the Geological Survey Office on the coalfield, involving inspection visits to particular parts of the coalfield, have been recently put in hands. My Department will be glad to make the results of this work available to interested parties.
Has the Minister considered asking the ESB to consider the possibility of locating an electricity generating station on one of the coalfields or on top of one of the mines?
That is a separate question.
I have talked with the ESB in an informal way about that possibility. It would mean a good deal more work by them because the type of coal that would be available is not normally regarded as suitable for raising steam and is not normally used in the generation of electricity. When they have completed their work on the Arigna coalfield I will ask them to give more careful attention to the Leinster coalfield to see what the possibilities might be in regard to that.
Does the Minister mean Castlecomer mines?