Oil firms happy as State protects existing drilling licences from exploration ban

Cabinet has approved a ban on future oil and gas licences becoming law, but existing projects such as the project in the Barryroe field may still proceed.

Oil and gas firms operating offshore Ireland have welcomed the Government's formal protection of existing exploration by not including current licences in its ban on future drilling.

However, exploration opponents said new Government legislation does not go far enough to end fossil fuel development.