Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which his Department continues to have plans to utilise existing natural resources and invest for the future in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29046/23]
View answerAs we transition to a Circular Economy and work towards meeting our climate targets, protecting and restoring our environment through sustainable resource use will play a key role. My Department is working in a number of areas to achieve this.
In 2022, my Department published the ‘Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining – Critical Raw Materials for the Circular Economy Transition’. The Policy Statement has been finalised following an intensive public consultation process and following discussions with an Advisory Group on Mineral Exploration and Mining, its membership being drawn from the Environmental, Industry and Social Pillars and government departments and agencies.
The Policy statement highlights the role of minerals in our everyday lives and the critical role they will play in our transition to net-zero emissions and carbon neutrality by 2050. The Policy recognises that we need to reuse and recycle more minerals and metals. The Policy also accepts that this will not supply the quantity of minerals required for the solar power, renewable wind energy and batteries required to decarbonise our energy.
As society continues to need minerals, it is therefore critical that these minerals are extracted in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, enforced by strong legislation. In that context, the Government’s policy for mineral exploration and mining is to:
Ensure a stable, robust, and transparent regulatory framework that supports environmentally sustainable mineral exploration and mining; and maximise the contribution that sustainable exploration and mining can make to our society, economic development and the transition to a circular economy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through the supply of the raw materials necessary for our sustainable development.
In addition, a Policy Statement on Geothermal Energy for a Circular Economy is also being finalised by my Department. This represents an important step in addressing the barriers to the development of geothermal energy in Ireland. It will help draw attention to its potential to decarbonise the heating and cooling of buildings, for industrial processes requiring heat and in the longer term, to generate electricity.
The Policy Statement reflects consideration by the Geothermal Energy Advisory Group of how my Department responded to the submissions received during the Public Consultation on the development of the policy. Subject to the Government's approval in due course, the policy statement will outline the preferred approach to be taken in developing a regulatory framework and the scope of a strategy to promote the sustainable development of Ireland’s geothermal resources.
With regard to petroleum, a Policy Statement on Petroleum Exploration and Production in Ireland was published in August 2022, replacing the 2019 “Policy Statement - Petroleum Exploration and Production Activities as part of Ireland’s Transition to a Low Carbon Economy”, in order to reflect the current policy and legislative position of the Government on Petroleum Exploration and Production, and to provide clarity to stakeholders in relation to future authorisations which may be granted under legislation.
This Policy Statement outlines the commitment contained in the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future 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.
This means that whilst no new authorisations for new exploration will be granted, existing authorisations will not be affected by this change. Holders of existing authorisations can continue to apply to progress through the standard licensing lifecycle stages towards a natural conclusion, which may include expiry, relinquishment, or production. Any applications for follow-on authorisations or applications to undertake offshore activities under an authorisation are subject to Ministerial consent and must continue to meet environmental, technical, and financial criteria as appropriate.
