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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Mar 1995

Vol. 451 No. 3

Written Answers. - Offshore Geological Mapping and Surveying.

Liz O'Donnell

Question:

23 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications his policy regarding offshore geological mapping and surveying of the whole seabed area under Irish jurisdiction; and the future work programme of the Marine Geology section of the Geological Survey. [6506/95]

I recognise the strategic national value of the seabed area under Irish jurisdiction and am anxious that offshore geological mapping of the total area be undertaken by the Geological Survey of Ireland. However, this is an enormous task and will take many years to complete. Discussions with the Marine Institute and other interested parties are currently devoted to seeking ways of expediting this major undertaking.

The marine geology section of the Geological Survey has been engaged in offshore mapping for the past 20 years. Maps of the Irish Sea and the area off the south coast — as far west as the 8 degree meridian — have been published on a scale of 1:250,000. The Galway Bay area map is currently in preparation.
The future work programme of the marine geology section is set out in the survey's five-year plan 1995-99. The main elements of this programme for the next five years are as follows: digitised data compilation covering the work of the last 20 years is being completed as a matter of urgency, in order to make data more readily available to customers; map production on the scale of 1:250,000 will target the coastal area of western Ireland — this near-shore mapping will cover only a small proportion of the national territory; studies and advisory services on offshore deposits of heavy minerals, lithothamnium, sand and gravel and engineering projects will continue and studies on geological aspects of coastal zone management will be pursured. Details of the five-year plan are outlined in the annual report of the Geological Survey of Ireland for 1994 which was published on 22 March. A copy of the report has been placed in the Dáil Library.
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