Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 July 2020
26. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he expects to move legislation to ban oil and gas exploration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15995/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - contains a commitment to end the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas on the same basis as the decision taken in 2019 by the previous Government in relation to oil exploration and extraction.
I have made this commitment effective immediately: my Department is no longer accepting new applications for exploration licences for natural gas or oil, nor will there be any future licensing rounds in Closed areas.
While there is no requirement for legislative underpinning, I and my Department will evaluate whether any further actions would be useful in terms of providing maximum clarity.
