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If you live in an area which is under a new prospecting licence 

A prospecting licence allows the mining company to prospect for minerals and determine if a mining project would be viable, to later apply for a mining licence (for more information, see the ‘Mining in Ireland’ page. Both North and South, the government is obliged to advertise their intention to grant a prospecting licence in local newspapers, which is often how local residents find out about it. At this stage, the first step is to submit objection letters to the issuing of the prospecting licence. This has to happen fast, as there are only 30 days to do so.  

Ideally before the 30 day deadline for objection letters has ended, try to organise a public meeting to raise awareness locally. The best way to do this is in a local venue, advertising locally by putting up posters and sending a press release to local newspapers and radio. A good set up is a panel discussion. Some of the points the speakers could cover are:

• The main points in the application for a prospecting licence – what townlands does it cover, what company has made the application, and what mineral(s) are they prospecting for. 
• The health, environmental and social problems with mining for local communities and counter mining companies’ claims that mining brings jobs and development for local areas. 
• The aspects of the local area which need to be protected from mining: clean water, clean air, local jobs and industry like farming and tourism, etc.
• A speaker from a community group already resisting mining could speak about the strategies the group has used to counteract the power of the mining company and challenge the government’s facilitation of mining companies.
• Contact us if you would like support in organising a public meeting.

It would be good to alert people locally that as the legislation currently stands (2023), prospectors do not have the right to prospect on land without the landowner’s permission, either North or South.

If you want to get informed…

…on mining and resistance to it in Ireland

• Read the report ‘Our Existence is our Resistance: Mining and Resistance on the Island of Ireland’
• Listen to After the Goldrush, a podcast about mining in Ireland
• View the photovoice booklet ‘Resisting Extractivism in the Sperrins’ 
• Listen to two podcasts from the ABCs of Green Politics on extractivism in Ireland and policing of anti-mining resistance

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…on problems with mining

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…on alternatives to mining

• Review these resources and video on the Rights of Nature from Environmental Justice Network Ireland
• Read this report detailing how we can reduce mining for ‘green’ transportation, and also increase mobility
• Check out Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary, outlining a huge range of initiatives that don’t rely on exploitative extraction, from agroecology to solidarity economies.

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…on strategies for resisting mining companies

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…on legal issues

• Read the guide and toolkit from the European Environmental Bureau on The Right to Say No: A Legal Toolbox for Communities affected by Mining in the EU
• The Aarhus Convention is an international agreement that gives people the right to access information about the environment. It also promotes public participation in decision-making and provides access to justice on environmental matters. It is ratified by both the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
  • Under the pillar of Access to Information, you can seek information from public bodies North and South about environmental issues.
  • Read the Report on Aarhus Implementation in Northern Ireland
• Read A short guide to environmental law in Ireland produced by A & L Goodbody 
• Read Environmental Justice Network Ireland’s Briefing Paper ‘Delivering Environmental Justice in Northern Ireland & on the island of Ireland’
• Read this Guidebook for Evaluating Mining Project EIAs

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