Written answer
Departmental Data
Seven proposed prospecting licences in southeast Clare are under consideration, with water-quality safeguards and confirmation that CETA does not restrict domestic legal remedies.
149. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to assure the people of East Clare that his Department will not issue prospecting licences in the local area for gold, silver and base metals; if he is aware of the potential impacts of mining and prospecting in relation to water quality and the proposed injection of chemicals into the land in some cases; to give an assurance that the proposed Investor Courts under the Canada Trade Agreement will not be allowed impact residents’ rights to take legal action against these licences. [65949/26]
Comment on this
A ‘Notice of Intention to Grant’ seven Prospecting Licences in southeast Co Clare was published in the Clare Champion newspaper and on www.gov.ie on 23 July 2026. The public was afforded thirty days to make submissions. Consideration will be given to submissions received in making a final decision on whether or not to grant the licences.
Most common prospecting activities such as geological mapping, ground geophysics and geochemical surveys do not utilise water or chemicals and do not involve any discharges to surface water or groundwater or any impact on water quality. Drilling is undertaken on some Prospecting Licences, occasionally using additives that must be non-hazardous and biodegradable. All drilling is the subject of detailed environmental and hydrogeological assessments by my Department and must demonstrate that there will be no adverse impact on water quality.
A Prospecting Licence does not confer the licensee with any rights to mine. Should a company discover an economically viable mineral deposit, any potential mining would require a number of separate consents including:
• Planning permission from the relevant Local Authority;
• An integrated Pollution Control (IPC) or an Industrial Emissions (IE) Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency;
• A Mining Lease or Licence (State Mining Facility) issued by myself, as Minister.
Both the planning and IPC/IE licensing processes involve environmental impact assessment (EIA) and public consultation. Any concerns relating to the potential impacts of mining on water quality should be raised at these consultation stages.
I have been advised that Article 8.10 of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada, and the European Union and its Member States does not restrict/impact the seeking of remedies before domestic courts.