Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 1

Written Answers. - Mineral Prospecting Licences.

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

105 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of licences issued and companies involved in significant finds of oil or minerals in counties Monaghan and Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29913/01]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey):

In July this year, two on-shore petroleum exploration licences were granted over an area in the north-west Carboniferous Basin, to Evergreen Resources, an American based company. The licensed area comprises lands in counties Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan, Roscommon and Sligo and straddles the border with Fermanagh. Evergreen commenced drilling of a well in Dowra, County Cavan on 20 October last and operations are continuing on this well. The company intends to drill a second exploration well this year in County Leitrim. Drilling for gas was carried out in the area in question some years ago and the present interest reflects a confidence based on both the results then and recent evaluations carried out by another American based company, Priority Oil and Gas, under licensing options held over the same area which expired at the end of June last.

As regards non-petroleum minerals, there were 35 extant prospecting licences covering areas in Counties Monaghan and Cavan and they were held by 2 companies at 30 June 2001, the date of my most recent statutory six monthly report to the Oireachtas. There has been no significant economic find of minerals in the two counties in the past five years.