Policy Statement on Petroleum Exploration and Production in Ireland

This Policy Statement replaces the 2019 Policy Statement in order to reflect the current policy and legislative position of the Government on Petroleum Exploration and Production, and to provide clarity to stakeholders in relation to future authorisations which may be granted under legislation.

It outlines the following:

• The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commitment to end the issuing of new licences for the exploration and extraction of gas on the same basis as the decision taken in 2019 by the previous Government in relation to oil exploration and extraction
• Existing authorisations are not affected by these changes and may apply to progress their existing authorisations through the licensing stages towards a natural conclusion such as expiry, relinquishment or production.
• The requirement that all applications for authorisations will continue to remain subject to Ministerial consent.
• Ireland’s role in the transition away from global oil and gas production as one of the founding members of the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance.
• The decision to initiate the orderly wind down of the Petroleum Infrastructure programme, which supported research programmes that supported hydrocarbon exploration and development activities