Decision on application for site survey by Exola DAC-Barryroe

Notice of the Grant of Permission to a site survey at Barryroe, North Celtic Sea, South West Coast, Ireland within standard exploration licence SEL 1/11

The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment has decided, on 8th August 2019 to grant approval for Exola DAC to undertake a seabed debris clearance, environmental baseline and habitat assessment site survey on the Barryroe Field, within Standard Exploration Licence 1/11 (SEL 1/11);

Subject to conditions, for the following reasons:

• as set out in detail in the EIA Screening Determination of 23 July 2019, the application to undertake a seabed debris clearance, environmental baseline and habitat assessment site survey within SEL 1/11 can be completed without significant effects on the environment, subject to attachment of specified conditions
• as set out in detail in the AA Determination of 22 July 2019, the application to undertake a seabed debris clearance, environmental baseline and habitat assessment site survey within SEL 1/11, would not adversely affect the integrity of a European site (whether individually or in combination with other plans or projects), subject to attachment of specified conditions
• the technical elements of the proposals are acceptable and meet the department's requirements. It is considered that information delivered from such activity will underpin greater geological understanding of the basin subsurface in a frontier unexplored part of the Irish offshore
• the development of Ireland's indigenous oil and gas resources has the potential to deliver significant and sustained benefits, particularly in terms of enhanced security of supply, import substitution, fiscal return, national and local economic development and technology learning

Please note that the validity of this decision may be questioned by judicial review under Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No.15 of 1986), as amended. Any application for leave to apply for judicial review must be made promptly and in any event within three months from the date of this decision. Practical information on the review mechanism can be obtained from the Citizens Information Board, Ground Floor, George's Quay House, 43 Townsend Street, Dublin 2, or online at www.citizensinformation.ie or www.courts.ie.