Government to introduce legislation to ban new oil and natural gas exploration and extraction

Source: International Energy Agency
Last updated: 15 June 2021
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, introduced legislation to ban licences for new oil and natural gas exploration, on the same basis as the 2019 decision on oil exploration and extraction. The legislation is included in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Amendment Bill, which is before Dail Eireann (third stage) in May 2021. The Minister gave effect to this commitment immediately, the Department no longer accepts new applications for exploration licenses for natural gas or oil, 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 will not impact existing licences.

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