I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 to 83, inclusive, together.
My Department does not publish information on individual licence applications. However, information in relation to applications for activities proposed to be carried out under a petroleum authorisation that are subject to assessment of compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive, the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, is published by my Department as part of individual consultation processes.
In addition, Section 57 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 requires that I lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas every six months a report detailing all exploration activities, including petroleum exploration authorisations granted during the period of the report. The last such report laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas was in respect of the six-month period ending 31 December 2020. A report on the status of all petroleum authorisations is also published on a quarterly basis on gov.ie (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/10d43-acreage-reports-and-concession-maps/). The most recent such report was published in respect of the three month period ending 31 December 2020.
The tables below contain the information sought in relation to the numbers of:
- applications for open area exploration licences in the last 5 years;
- applications for licensing options in the last 5 years;
- live exploration licences; and,
- current applications for extensions.
Exploration Licence Applications - Open Areas (Celtic Sea and Irish Sea)
Year Received
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
Under consideration
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Granted
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Received but subsequently Withdrawn
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
Total Applications Received
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
Licensing Option Applications - Open Areas (Celtic Sea and Irish Sea)
Year Received
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
Under consideration
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Granted
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Refused
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Received but subsequently Withdrawn
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Total Applications Received
|
3
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Current Exploration Licences
Year of Application
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2011
|
2013
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
Total
|
No. of Applications
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
19
|
Current Extensions Applications
Date Received
|
December 2012
|
January 2018
|
No. of Applications
|
1
|
2
|
A comparison of recent acreage reports will show the impact of recent regulatory changes.