Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications published the Policy Statement on Mineral Exploration and Mining in December 2022 as a frame of reference and decision-making for policy makers, regulators and stakeholders in the mining sectors. The policy framework aims to support communities, the environment, the climate and the mineral exploration and mining sectors.
The Statement includes an overview of the mining sector and mineral reserves in Ireland and a discussion of the relevant policy context at the national, EU and international levels. Relevant national policies include the Programme for Government - Our Shared future (a 5-year strategy encompassing a range of policy areas), the Circular Economy Strategy, Project Ireland 2040 (a long-term strategy for national growth and development), the Climate Action Plan, Our Rural Future, the National Clear Air Strategy and other regional and local frameworks.
In the context of these other policies and initiatives, the Policy Statement seeks to:

1. Ensure a stable, robust and transparent regulatory framework that supports environmentally sustainable mineral exploration and mining.
2. Maximise the contribution that sustainable exploration and mining can make to Irish society, economic development and the transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through the supply of the raw materials necessary for our sustainable development. 

These objectives are supported by a set of principles grouped under 5 guiding themes and supported by implementable actions:

• Robust and Stable Regulation
• Increasing Awareness and Participation
• Sustainable Development
• Building Capacity and Access to Knowledge
• International Co-operation

Priority actions under these principles include the establishment of the Geoscience Bill 2023 and the Geoscience Regulation Office; the establishment of an Advisory Group on Minerals Exploration and Mining, the end of issuing prospecting licences and mining licences or leases for coal, lignite and oil shale; research into the life cycle of minerals developed in Ireland and the demand for different minerals in Ireland, the EU and globally; the development of a roadmap for legacy mines; the continued review of Local Area Development Plans and engagement with local authorities on potential mineral exploration; and the representation of Ireland at the annual convention of Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. 

The Statement is accompanied by an SEA Statement that reviews the recommendations received during consultation processes and through various reports, including the Environmental Report and Natural Impact Statement, that led to the final policy statement. This document also provides additional information regarding monitoring and mitigation arrangements. 

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