Clare Councillors have called on the Minister for Environment to extend public consultation on a proposal to begin mining activities in South East Clare.
Minco Exploration has applied to the Department for licences to potentially extract materials from sites in Bunratty and Tulla.
In its submission to the Department last month, Minco Exploration stated its intention to conduct desktop studies, geochemistry and drilling over several townlands encompassing both Tulla and Bunratty.
The Meath-based company says these activities would be temporary, and says they would involve what it describes as ‘non-intrusive’ measures involving a ‘minimal’ level of disturbance.
It sums up by claiming the activities are ‘not likely to have a significant affect’ on the environment.
However, the plans have sparked concerns among local environmental groups.
The majority of Clare Councillors appear to share these views, with a motion passed at last evening’s meeting to ask Minister Eamon Ryan not to proceed in awarding a licence to explore the South East Clare townlands.
A number of representatives expressed their concern that the public consultation period for the proposal, which finished last weekend, was not long enough.
It was suggested that the Minister and Department be asked to extend this period further to allow elected representatives and members of the public to raise their concerns, with Green Councillor Liam Grant telling the meeting his party colleague Senator Roisin Garvey has received a commitment from the Minister to do that.
Minco Exploration has been approached for comment by Clare FM.
The full submission can be accessed here
