Written Answers. - Prospecting Licences.
Séamus Hughes
Question:
222
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
his views on the renewal of a prospecting licence in regard to its possible impact on tourism development; his views on whether the granting or renewal of a prospecting license or future mining lease to Glencar/ Andaman in the Westport electoral area of County Mayo will have any effect, adverse or otherwise, on the tourism industry in that region.
[10944/96]
Séamus Hughes
Question:
223
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
his views on the renewal of a prospecting licence in regard to its possible impact; his views on whether the granting or renewal of a prospecting licence or future mining lease to Glencar/Andaman in the Westport electoral area of County Mayo will have any effect, adverse or otherwise, on this natural heritage area.
[10947/96]
Séamus Hughes
Question:
224
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
his views on the renewal of a prospecting licence in regard to its possible impact on the quality of the overall environment; whether he will be making his views known to the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications; and his views on whether the granting or renewal of a prospecting licence or future mining lease to Glencar/Andaman in the Westport electoral area of County Mayo will have any effect, adverse or otherwise, on the environment in that region.
[10948/96]
Séamus Hughes
Question:
225
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
his views on the renewal of a prospecting licence in regard to its possible impact on fisheries; and his views on whether the granting or renewal of a prospecting licence or future mining lease to Glencar/Andaman in the West - port electoral area of County Mayo will have any effect, adverse or otherwise, on the fishery industry in that region.
[10949/96]
Séamus Hughes
Question:
239
Mr. Hughes
asked the
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications
whether he consults with other Government departments, such as the Department of Tourism and Trade, the Department of the Marine and the Department of the Environment, prior to granting or renewing a prospecting licence or mining lease, to ascertain their views on the way in which the granting of such a licence or lease will affect the area of responsibility that they are charged with; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10946/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 223, 224, 225 and 239 together.
As a matter of course, my Department copies draft newspaper advertisements containing details of proposals to issue and renew prospecting licences to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Arising from this action the National Parks and Wildlife Service wrote to the exploration companies which are the subject of these questions on 14 March 1996 and indicated the location of proposed National Heritage Areas within the licence areas. The National Parks and Wildlife Service also outlined their concerns in relation to conservation of the flora and fauna in the area. The licensees, in response, confirmed their awareness of the interest of the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the area and indicated that all work in the area within the next two years would be confined to exploration and not involve development or construction. The licensees undertook to revert to the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the event of any possibility of significant surface work being required.
Before the decision is made to award a prospecting licence, the technical staff of the exploration and mining division of my Department, after consultation with the National Monuments Service, ascertain the existence and location of national monuments in the licence area to ensure that the attention of the licence holder is drawn to them. In addition, licensees are advised to contact the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht for approval to have exploration work undertaken on or adjacent to sites and monuments indicated on the sites and monuments record constraint maps which are available for examination at county libraries and the appropriate local planning authority. Access to national nature reserves is not permitted without the permission of the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
All prospecting licences issued or renewed are advertised in print media circulating within the licence area. No Government Departments, other than the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, are consulted as a matter of course.
Minerals exploration should not cause any environmental damage if it is carried out in accordance with the terms of the prospecting licence issued and in compliance with the guidelines for good environmental practice in minerals exploration, which are issued to each licensee by my Department. In the circumstances, I do not think it necessary to consult other Departments as a matter of course. Given that there should be no adverse environmental impact from minerals exploration, I fail to see how it can impact, adversely or otherwise, on the tourism industry or on the quality of the overall environment.
In the event that a commercial deposit is discovered, the licence holder will require planning permission from the local authority and a licence from the Environment Protection Agency. It is the conditions which attach to these permissions, if granted, which will deal with the effects of any mine development on issues such as tourism, fisheries and the environment. It would be impossible to foretell the nature of any possible impact or the extent to which it might be mitigated (or indeed desirable to mitigate it) without knowledge of the type of mineralisation, the grading, proposed method of extraction and other features. These issues are clarified after examination of the development proposals and the carrying out of an environmental impact study.
In the case of both a licence application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and an application for planning permission, an environmental impact assessment must be carried out which involves wide consultation by the developer at the scoping stage and subsequent consultation by each permitting authority with a broad range of statutory consultees, including my Department.
Only when planning permission has been granted and a licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, will I issue a State mining lease or licence. The standard terms of a modern State mining facility require full rehabilitation of the site when mining is completed.
I consult with Departments where there is a shared interest or responsibility involved and an example of this would be in discussing and agreeing with the Department of Finance the financial terms of a State mining facility.
Each proposal for an exploration licence or State mining licence is considered on its merits and in accordance with the very strict environmental standards which exist in this country.
