Vol. 172 No. 4
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the names and addresses of the persons, groups, firms or companies with whom he is proposing to enter into an agreement to give an exclusive licence for oil exploration and drilling; and where such licensees at present carry on the business of oil production.
14.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state for what term of years the persons to whom he referred in his statement of 5th January, 1959, will receive the exclusive right to explore for oil in Ireland and to obtain leases for drilling oil wells; and for what period such leases could be operative.
15.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if the agreement which he proposes to execute granting an exclusive licence for oil exploration contains a proviso prohibiting the licensees from assigning or otherwise hawking the benefit of such exclusive licence.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 12, 14 and 15 together. The information which the Deputy seeks is contained in the agreement which I have executed with the oil interests concerned, copies of which are being laid on the table of the House to-day.
The licensee under the agreement is Ambassador Irish Oil, Limited, a company registered in Ireland. The company is not at present engaged in the business of oil production but Ambassador Oil Corporation, which is a company incorporated in the U.S.A. and which will be closely associated with the operations of the licensee, has oil producing properties in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska and North Dakota.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, can the Minister say now, in connection with the agreement he has made with the American group, whether, if it is not possible to grant a licence to explore to an Irish group, it would be possible to have them associated with the American group so that legitimate Irish interests may participate in exploring for oil in this country?
That would be a matter for the Irish interests concerned.
No matter what the earnestness of the Irish group may be in that respect, the Minister is the dispenser of the licence. If the Minister would make it clear to the American group that a legitimate Irish interest or interests should be permitted to participate in the search for oil here, it would, of course, have a profound effect on the results of any such negotiations between an Irish and American group. Will the Minister endeavour at least to hold the door open for the participation of an Irish group or groups with the Americans in the exploration for oil here?
I think I should intervene to say that the persons whose names have appeared in the newspapers in this connection have dissociated themselves completely from that publicity and indeed have made known their desire to cooperate fully with the Government in this matter.
I quite appreciate that, but it does not answer the question I asked. Will the Minister endeavour to ensure that legitimate Irish interests concerned with exploring for oil in this country will be in some way or other given an opportunity of associating themselves with the American group; in other words, that the Irish will get a chance to seek oil in Ireland?
That is a tendentious question.
It is not tendentious at all. Will the Minister have some regard in this matter to somebody other than the Texan group?
Is the Minister prepared to say at this stage when this matter will come before the House in the form of legislation?
I could not say. The legislation is being prepared.
Is the agreement contingent upon the passing of the legislation?
Yes. The agreement does not come into force until the legislation has been passed.
And if the House chooses not to make the legislation in that form, the agreement would fall to the ground?
Yes.
I should like to ask the Minister whether this right to explore includes the right to explore offshore?
No. It will take Deputies the best part of an hour to read the agreement and I cannot be expected to answer questions about details off the cuff.
Order!
I appreciate it is impossible to give particulars here, but can I take it that the question of offshore deposits is not included in any likely agreement?
I do not think I should answer questions of that kind without notice.
Could the Minister answer this question: What is the term in years?
It would take me a good 15 minutes to explain that.
We will come back to that again when I have read the agreement.
