Petroleum and Gas Exploration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 November 2012

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Ceisteanna (5)

Joan Collins

Ceist:

5. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the current process of granting exploration licences complies with the EU Directive 2003/4/EC on access to information on the Environment and EU Directive 2003/35/EC on public participation in environmental decision making and access to justice; and his views in relation to the granting of the licence to a company (details supplied) to drill in Dublin Bay. [53546/12]

Freagraí ó Béal (10 píosaí cainte)

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd

I confirm to the Deputy my satisfaction that the current exploration licensing process is fully compliant with the requirements of both European and domestic law with respect to public participation in environmental assessment, including the requirements of EU Directives 2003/4/EC and 2003/35/EC.

The environmental assessment process implemented in Ireland is as follows. In advance of licensing rounds for the granting of exploration licensing options, a strategic environmental assessment, SEA, which is subject to public consultation, is undertaken at regional level. An SEA of the Celtic and Irish Seas was undertaken during 2010, the final results of which were published at the end of 2011. Once a drilling location has been identified and on receipt of a specific drilling proposal, an environmental area assessment is undertaken to identify all relevant potential environmental impacts and to decide whether the proposed mitigations are sufficient to ensure the application will not have an unacceptable environmental impact.

An environmental impact assessment, EIA, must be undertaken for all activities that may have a significant adverse effect on the environment, including major infrastructure projects such as crude oil refineries, railways, motorways and wastewater treatment plants. It should be noted that exploration drilling for oil and gas is not amongst the activities listed in the annexes to the directive. Proposals for a petroleum development to progress to the production stage must be supported by an environmental impact statement, which is assessed in accordance with the requirements of the EIA directive and includes full public consultation.

I confirm I am satisfied that the current licensing process is compliant with all relevant aspects of Directive 2003/4/EC, which deals with access to environmental information.

Deputy Joan Collins

I beg to differ with the Minister of State. The SEA made the point he quoted, but the public consultation in question amounted to four public meetings, one of which took place in a pub in the Dún Laoghaire area. The Minister of State describes that as full public consultation. The people who have come to the Visitors' Gallery today - fishermen and residents of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown - would find that an insult, because they believe public consultation should mean that information concerning all meetings will be published in every newspaper. The foreshore advertisement appeared in one daily newspaper and at two Garda stations in the area. This certainly did not amount to proper public consultation in accordance with the Aarhus Convention and the directives mentioned by the Minister of State.

The fishermen in the area are deeply concerned that explorative drilling will have an enormous effect on their livelihoods because the drill used crushes down into the floor of the bay and would have an impact on fish. Will the Minister of State make a commitment that when Providence makes an application for a licence to conduct a site survey or takes out a drilling licence he will have a proper consultation process in accordance with the Aarhus Convention? Will he also order a full EIA on the area?

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd

I fundamentally disagree with the Deputy, who has the matter completely wrong. I have in my hand a list of 100 organisations, all of which were written to, in direct and personal letters, in connection with the EIS document, which is a report on the consultation process. Among those consulted directly were Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Authority, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Friends of the Irish Environment, the Health and Safety Authority, the Irish Chamber of Shipping, the Irish Coastguard, the Irish Fish Producers' Association, the Irish Fishermen's Organisation, the Irish Maritime Development Office, the Irish Port Company Association, the Irish Seal Sanctuary, Irish South and East Fishermen's Organisation, Irish South and West Producers' Organisation, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, the Irish Wildlife Trust, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and South Dublin County Council. There is a complete and thorough list of organisations consulted on this issue. Therefore, I refute everything the Deputy said in regard to consultation. She did not get it right; her research was wrong, and she does not have the facts. The next time she comes into the House I ask her to ensure she researches the subject properly in order to tell the truth to the people in the Visitors' Gallery and in that constituency. The fact is everybody was consulted. In this democratic Chamber the Deputy is the elected representative of those people. I ask her to do her research properly in future.

Deputy Joan Collins

The fishermen were not informed and the people did not know. This is a very broad report on a huge area of Dublin Bay and it does not reflect the specific area we are discussing, the Kish Bank basin. It does not cover that area and is too broad. The people in Dún Laoghaire and Dalkey did not know that a foreshore licence would be given to Providence to explore a specific area 6 km away from the land. The Minister of State was not correct in what he stated.

On the next occasion on which Providence makes an application to conduct a site survey or secure a drilling licence, there should be proper consultation. Advertisements should appear in all of the newspapers and leaflets should be distributed in order that people will be informed that such consultation is taking place. This would give them access to the process and justice.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd

If the Deputy examines the report to which I refer, she will see that the public consultation process was advertised in the Irish Independent, the Wicklow People, the Wexford People, the Waterford News and Star and the Southern Star. In the advertisement interested parties were invited to read the environmental report and provide feedback and notice was given of the location and dates of meetings. For the Deputy's information, some five consultation meetings were held during the week commencing 18 July. There was also a walk-in informal process, etc.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

That was not specific to this drilling exercise.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd

I did not interrupt the Deputy's colleague or anyone else.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We are almost out of time.

Deputy Fergus O'Dowd

Let us get the facts right. I want people to know the full facts and be fully and properly consulted. We are referring to commercial exploration rather than commercial exploitation of the resource. I reassure everyone that if a hydrocarbon discovery were to be made, planning consent from An Bord Pleanála under the strategic infrastructure Acts would more than likely be required; a safety case would have to be approved by the CER; an integrated pollution prevention control licence would have to be granted by the EPA; a petroleum lease, a plan for development and consent for a gas pipeline would be required; and consent under the Gas Acts would be necessary. In addition, directives establishing a framework for community action would be required; registration, evaluation and authorisation of all the chemicals covered under the REACH directive would be also necessary. There is a complete, accountable and public process in this regard and the Deputies opposite should engage in it.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

What about the fishermen and the seismic survey?