Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 - Petroleum Exploration and Production in Ireland

Last updated: 19 March 2024

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications made the political commitment to ban licences for new oil and natural gas exploration in 2019. The legislation was included in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Amendment Bill in 2021. 
The Minister gave effect to this commitment immediately, with no acceptance for new applications for natural gas or oil exploitation licences, nor will there be any future licensing rounds. 
The legislation will involve amendments to the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960, which is the legislation governing the issuing of petroleum authorisations in the Irish offshore. The decision does not impact existing licences.

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