An Tasice has made a submission to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment notice of intent By Minister John Bruton TD to grant a mineral prospecting licence to MOAG Copper Gold Resources Inc, Toronto, Canada in west Connemara.1
This exploration plan, if granted, is proposed to take place in protected areas, including Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHA) including Murvey Machair, Connemara Bog Complex, and Dogs Bay. The area is also of the highest landscape sensitivity.
It is submitted by An Taisce that the process surrounding the application is multiply inadequate in:
- the public consultation process,
- the information provided as to the nature and extent of the exploration activity which the application would allow ,
- what minerals are being explored for .
Ian Lumley An Taisce Advocacy Officer stated: “The granting of an Exploration License is a de facto acceptance by the State of the suitability of the area for mining extraction. It clearly confers an expectation by the licensee investing in the exploration work that the State supports development in mining in the location identified, and that any mining license application will be treated favourably by the State and subject only to regulatory process.”
An Taisce has raised legal questions on the lack of a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the current mineral exploration licencing regime in Ireland in screening mining exploration areas of location suitability, as well as the screening process for this application under the Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats Directives.
The full An Taisce submission is available at: http://www.antaisce.org/Mineral-extraction-MOAG-Resources-Inc-full-submission
Contact:
Ian Lumley, An Taisce Advocacy Officer
Mobile: 083 153 2384
