Vol. 402 No. 9
14 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Energy if he has received an application for a mining licence from any firm in respect of zinc deposits at Galmoy, County Kilkenny; if he will outline the latest information available to him regarding the deposits at Galmoy and the intentions of a company (details supplied) with regard to their development; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As I stated to the House on previous occasions, my Department have not received an application for a mining licence in respect of the zinc deposits at Galmoy, County Kilkenny. All information furnished by a prospecting licence holder during the currency of a licence is treated as confidential. The prospecting company operating at Galmoy have issued a number of statements on the progress of their operations and any further information would be a matter for the company.
The Minister gave a similar reply last year. Is the Minister aware that the Finnish state company Outokumbu, who are the owners of Tara Mines, have taken a 29.9 per cent stake in the Galmoy Mines, which is just below the takeover bid amount and can the Minister say if he is concerned about this? Does the Minister feel that the company should be safe from takeover bids at this stage? Has the Minister any concern about the ownership or where it might go?
I have no particular concern with regard to the ownership at present but if there are developments we will keep them under close review.
(Carlow-Kilkenny): If an application comes in will the Minister guarantee that the ground is landscaped so that people can live in comfort rather than have the situation which occurred in the Minister's county with Tina Mines, which was a bad example of what mining is all about?
It is foolish to quote Tynagh as an example of what might happen if a mining lease is granted here in 1990. Tynagh was opened in 1965 and the concern for the environment which now exists was not in the same then. Planning requirements in place now were not in place then. It is misleading to use the Tina experience as an indication of what might happen in any area where a new mining operation might be allowed. The planning and environmental requirements in operation now are extremely severe and will be extremely expensive for companies to comply with. I assure the House that any mining licence I am asked to consider will receive careful scrutiny and will be considered only after an environmental impact assessment has been carried out by an independent authority.
Has the Minister given these companies which are involved any indication of the basis on which he will be deciding on the State participation in a discovery?
No.
Let us deal with Question No. 16, please.
