asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the present position in respect of (a) oil exploration, (b) gas exploration around this country's coasts and (c) further mineral finds, if any.

There are 13 companies or consortia engaged in oil and gas exploration activities in Irish waters under exclusive licence and 11 holders of non-exclusive licences authorising general prospecting.

We are now nearing the end of the 1978 drilling season which was our busiest to date and which saw 15 wells being drilled in various locations: the Celtic Sea, the Fastnet, the Porcupine and the North West. The last of these wells is still being drilled.

As the Deputy will probably have seen from a recent press statement, one of the licensees encountered significant, though non-commercial, indications of petroleum in a well in the Porcupine, where flows of up to 730 barrels per day of good-quality sulphur-free oil were recorded. While the recovery of this quantity of oil cannot be considered a commercial proposition, especially in the water depth of 1,411 feet in which the well was drilled, the results are nevertheless encouraging and the licensee has plans for further assessment of the area. This development will also, I expect, stimulate further general interest in offshore exploration in our waters.

None of the other wells completed this year produced significant indications of hydrocarbons but the geological and other information resulting from these wells has been valuable and in certain cases has contributed to what I feel is an encouraging view of future prospects.

Regarding the question of further mineral finds, a number of small mineral deposits have been discovered in recent years and further exploration of these deposits is proceeding. Some other interesting prospective areas in various parts of the country are also being investigated at present.

16.