Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2004
186 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of oil, gas and other mineral mining explorations, ongoing, proposed or concluded; the viability of deposits identified; the cost in terms of tax foregone in the course of the explorations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28591/04]
View answerCurrent authorisations for petroleum exploration include: seven exploration licences — six frontier licences and one deep-water licence — the most recent of which is a frontier licence issued last April; 19 licensing options, including two onshore, of which three are the subject of discussions on extensions; and ten petroleum prospecting licenses, PPLs. Exploration is ongoing under all of these authorisations. A further application for a frontier exploration licence is under consideration. An exploration well was drilled in the Celtic Sea this summer, but was plugged and abandoned last August.
A licensing round for the north-east Rockall basin was announced on 27 July last, with a closing date of 31 March 2005. I intend to make an announcement in the coming months regarding a further licensing round. This round will be over the Slyne/Erris or Donegal basin regions, or both, with a closing date in 2005 or 2006. The Corrib field was declared commercial in January 2001 and the Seven Heads field in April 2002. There have been no recent commercial finds since then. Therefore, the question of tax does not arise.
The position on non-petroleum minerals has not changed since my reply to a similar question, Question No. 126 of 21 October 2004. Tax is not relevant to prospecting.
