Vol. 397 No. 6
10 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Energy the latest information available to his Department regarding the ore discovery in Galmoy, County Kilkenny, announced by Conroy Petroleum last year; if any negotiations have yet commenced regarding a mining lease; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The prospecting company operating at Galmoy have issued a number of statements on the progress of their operations and any further such statements would be a matter for the company. No application has been submitted to my Department for a mining lease for this discovery.
The Minister's reply is almost exactly the same as one that was given last November. How can the Minister substantiate his statement that any statement in regard to the lead and zinc discovery in Galmoy was a matter for the company and did not have anything to do with the Minister for Energy? The Minister must remember that he is responsible for all mining and exploration here. Has he information as to what exists at Galmoy? Is he prepared to make a statement about that?
I am not responsible for statements made by the company. Until such time as an application is made to my Department I have no intention of making any statement about the activities of the company. The departmental practice has been that all information furnished by a prospecting licence holder during the currency of the licence is treated as confidential. It is a matter for the company to publish to the degree they consider appropriate. No negotiations have taken place on a mining lease for the simple reason that Conroy have not yet applied to the Department for a lease. It is expected that an application will be submitted later this year following a planning appliction to the local authority. The company are fully conversant with my requirements in regard to the needs for environmental impact assessments which are new and will be required before any decision is made in regard to such leases. Planning permission will have to be obtained first and an application for a lease can then be made. It has not been made as yet.
Is the Minister aware of the grave concern in the area about what is happening? Is he aware of the concern about the lack of information about what is happening? Is he aware that the county engineer does not know anything about this matter and is concerned about the impact this will have on the environment? Is he aware that the county engineer would like some information about this? Is he prepared to give whatever information is available to him to his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, so that he can inform people like the county engineer of what is possible?
I should like to reiterate that before any mining development commences at Galmoy it will be necessary for the company to apply for planning permission and to prepare an environmental impact assessment of the project. I will not grant a mining lease unless I am satisfied in regard to the environmental impact assessments. I hasten to dispel any fears or concerns that people may have at this stage. The full planning process will have to be adhered to and there are new procedures in regard to environmental considerations laid down by the House.
Is the Minister aware of considerable public disquiet and opposition to this project among the ordinary people in the area? Will he give some reassurance that their views will be taken into account before anything happens?
The Deputy is aware that the planning procedures allow for the fullest possible consideration to be given to the views of local residents and any other interested groups in regard to any planning application.
The Minister referred to an environmental impact study requirement and I should like to know if he was referring to a requirement under the planning laws or to a requirement which he will apply to an application for a mining lease. What powers does the Minister have to insist on such a study being carried out? My understanding is that planning applications received before February do not carry the obligation of an environmental impact study.
The recent statutory order made by the Minister for the Environment makes it mandatory to have an environmental impact assessment carried out.
Only since February.
I am not referring only to the planning process. The procedures in regard to this issue have yet to be finally worked out. There is the planning requirement that it will be necessary to have an environmental impact assessment carried out. There is also the additional requirement that the Minister for Energy will have to be satisfied with the environmental aspects of the matter as well. It is not intended that this will in all cases, require two environmental impact studies to be carried out but I am merely stating the Minister's independence in the matter. It is the clear policy as laid down in the Programme for Government that no mining licences will be issued until the Minister for Energy is satisfied that an independent environmental assessment study has been carried out. There is now a double precaution in regard to environmental aspects of proposals, firstly the planning process has been strengthened greatly by the recent decisions and, secondly, there is the decision in regard to the issuing of mining licences.
A final question Deputy De Rossa, please.
Very briefly, my point is that the requirement for an environmental impact study under the planning Acts, as required by the Department of the Environment, does not apply to planning applications submitted before the order was made.
The Deputy is imparting information rather than seeking it. Let us proceed to another question.
I want to give an absolute assurance and there need be no concern whatsoever that any mining development will take place without the environmental aspects of it being carefully and independently considered.
