Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 23 Feb 1966

Vol. 221 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Prospecting Licences.

35.

Mr. Treacy

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of prospecting licences for oil and minerals at present current; to whom they have been granted; the purpose of each licence; and the area in each case to which they refer.

Dr. Hillery

There are 198 prospecting licences current, enabling holders to ascertain the character, extent or value of minerals in a particular area. Particulars of licences granted, in so far as they relate to the period up to 30th June, 1965, may be found in the half-yearly reports laid before the House in accordance with the statutory requirement.

The information in relation to the period subsequent to 30th June, 1965 is in the form of a tabular statement, which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

PROSPECTING Licences issued since 1st July, 1965.

Name and Address of Licensee	County	Areasq. miles
North Rock Explorations Ltd., 1212-55 York Street, Toronto, Canada.	Cork	6
Joseph Knox, Hollypark, Crettyard, Carlow	Kilkenny	3½
Irish Base Metals Ltd., 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin, 3	Galway	10
Tara Exploration & Development Co. Ltd., and Irish Base Metals, Ltd. 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin.	Galway	10
Tara Exploration & Development Co. Ltd., and Anglo United Development Corporation Ltd., 162, Clontarf Road, Dublin.	Waterford	12
Société Miniere et Métallurgique de Penarroya, 12, Place Vendome, Paris.	Tipperary	12
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	Kildare	12
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	,,	12
Anglo Austral Mines Ltd. and W. & H.M. Goulding Ltd., 31 Waterloo Rd., Dublin, 4.	Dublin	9
,, ,,	Limerick	13
,, ,,	Tipperary/Limerick	10
,, ,,	Dublin/Meath	10
Rio Tinto Finance & Exploration Ltd., and W. & H. M. Goulding Ltd., 31 Waterloo Rd., Dublin, 4.	Tipperary	11
,, ,,	,,	5
,, ,,	Westmeath	14
,, ,,	,,	11
,, ,,	Limerick/Tipperary	12
,, ,,	Tipperary	12
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	Westmeath	14
,, ,,	Westmeath/Offaly	14
,, ,,	Tipperary	13
,, ,,	,,	11
Anglo United Development Corporation Ltd. 1905-7 King Street East, Toronto, Canada.	Tipperary	11
Gortdrum Mines Ltd., 3110-25 King Street West, Toronto, Canada.	Tipperary	6
,, ,,	Offaly	12
,, ,,	,,	11
,, ,,	Galway/Roscommon	12
Tara Exploration & Development Co. Ltd., 1905-7 King St. East, Toronto, Canada.	Mayo	11
,, ,,	,,	13
,, ,,	Limerick	12
,, ,,	Mayo	12
The Patino Mining Corporation, 7 King St. East, Toronto, Canada	Galway	9
,, ,,	Galway/Clare	7
,, ,,	Clare	13
,, ,,	,,	13
,, ,,	,,	14
,, ,,	Galway	13
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	Clare	10
Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada, Room 1610-25 King St. West, Toronto, Canada.	Dublin/Kildare	12
,, ,,	Galway	6
,, ,,	Kildare	14
Société Minere et Métallurgique de Penarroya, 12, Place Vendome, Paris.	Tipperary	12
,, ,,	Kilkenny	11
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	,,	13
,, ,,	,,	11
Irish Base Metals Ltd., 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin.	Galway	14
,, ,,	,,	3
Tara Exploration & Development Co. Ltd. and Anglo United Development Corporation Ltd., 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin, 3.	Waterford	12
Tara Exploration Ltd., 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3.	,,	12
Irish Base Metals Ltd. and Anglo United Development Corporation Ltd.
Basin Exploration (Ireland) Syndicate, Suite 509-25 Adelaide St. West, Toronto, Canada.	Waterford/Tipperary	12
,, ,,	Waterford/Tipperary	10
,, ,,	Tipperary	9
,, ,,	Tipperary/Waterford	9
,, ,,	,,	11
,, ,,	Kilkenny/Carlow	14
,, ,,	Carlow	8
,, ,,	Kilkenny/Waterford	11
,, ,,	Kilkenny	10
,, ,,	,,	11
,, ,,	,,	8
,, ,,	Tipperary	12
,, ,,	,,	13
,, ,,	Limerick	13
,, ,,	,,	13
,, ,,	,,	8
,, ,,	,,	10
,, ,,	,,	10
,, ,,	,,	12
,, ,,	,,	9

36.

Mr. Treacy

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state, in respect of each prospecting licence issued for oil and minerals over the past ten years, what were the results, indicating what profitable activities were set on foot, the area of operation, the amount of employment given, and the period of operation.

Dr. Hillery

Mineral exploration is carried out by private concerns and the information regarding findings lodged with my Department is confidential. I may add that as is normal with mineral exploration in the majority of cases the findings are negative or inconclusive. Following exploration over the past ten years, 11 State mining leases and 32 State mining permissions to develop and exploit minerals and 12 petroleum leases were granted. Particulars of these so far as they relate to the period up to 30th June, 1965 will be found in the half-yearly reports which have been laid before the House.

In the period since 1st July, 1965 one lease has been granted to Mogul of Ireland Ltd., in respect of an area of approximately 1,000 acres at Silvermines, County Tipperary.

Particulars are not available of the number of persons employed by the companies to whom the mining facilities in question have been granted.