AN ONLINE petition urging Environment Minister Phil
Hogan to reject an application for a foreshore licence to enable a company to
drill for oil and gas off the Southside coast has attracted over 2,600
signatures.
The Green Party has also called on the minister to
carry out a public inquiry into the application made by Providence Resources
for the licence that would allow operations to go ahead in the sea off Dalkey
Village.
In August 2008 the Irish Government granted Providence
Resources a three-year licence to explore for oil and gas in the Kish Bank
Basin off Dalkey.
On January 5 of this year, Providence applied for a
foreshore licence to further explore the potential of an oil or gas prospect
some six kilometres off the coast in the Kish Bank Basin. Previous preliminary
studies have indicated that oil or gas reserves exist in the area.
A 21-day period of public consultation on the
company’s application is now underway and submissions can be made in writing up
to February 2.
Conor Graham, from Terenure, who regularly swims at
Killiney Beach, was one of the founders of the Facebook campaign, which is
urging Minister Hogan to reject the company’s application for the foreshore licence.
He said there has been increasing concern among locals
in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown in recent weeks regarding what is perceived as a lack
of information surrounding the company’s application.
As of 4pm last Friday the online petition had
attracted some 2,613 signatures.
Dun Laoghaire based Green Party activist, Gene
Feighery, has also called on Minister Hogan to carry out an inquiry into the
application submitted to his office by Providence.
“We want to know what are the environmental and marine
risks,
? Ms Feighery said.
“They have a brochure to say that the risks are
minimal but what does that mean? We are getting one side of the argument that
is not widely publicised. And on this basis a foreshore licence could
fundamentally change the face of the area.
?
The Dalkey Community Council and the Dalkey Business
Association has organised a public meeting to address local concerns. It will
take place at Dalkey Town Hall on Tuesday, January 24 at 7.30pm.
A spokesperson for Providence Resources said it was
following the requirements of the statutory consultation process as laid out by
the Department of the Environment.
According to the spokesperson, the foreshore licence
that is being sought would only allow the company to undertake a seismic
survey, a site survey and drill an exploration well to investigate whether oil
or gas is present.
“As part of this application, detailed proposals on
environmental mitigation measures and safety procedures have been submitted to
the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government,
? the
spokesperson said.
“There is minimal risk of any impacts to individual
animals and no significant risk or disturbance to marine mammals. As is
standard practice, Providence will put in place several mitigation measures to
minimise the impact of the survey or drilling on the surrounding environment.
?
In addition, he said Providence had prepared an oil
spill contingency plan in accordance with licensing requirements to meet
“every
possible eventuality
?.
He added that Providence would be happy to meet
interested parties in relation to its foreshore licence application and urged
those who wished to do so to contact them by email:
dalkeyisland@providenceresources.com or on tel
01-2194074.
A copy of the application information and supplementary
documents are available on the company’s website
www.providenceresources.com/dalkeyisland.aspxn. Anyone who wants to view the
online petition opposing the application can log onto www.protectourcoast.net