Labour's Cllr Keith Martin says Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan could give Hamlet a run for his money in his procrastination over a decision on prospecting licences in Mayo. Cllr Martin says he is very concerned over the long delay in any decision over gold mining in Mayo.
The closing date for submissions on the granting of prospecting licences was Christmas 2007 yet to date no decision has been made by the Minister on whether to grant or refuse a licence.
Cllr Martin says the Minister is delaying a decision on this issue "because it will be very controversial if he green lights exploration for gold in Mayo given the area's environmental sensitivity and the opposition of the people of the area to any such mining. Gold Mining is very dirty and uses poisons likes arsenic to dissolve rock and separate the gold. I can't imagine anyone who thinks that would be a good idea for the environmentally delicate and scenic county of Mayo. I have once again written to the Department of Natural Resources to see when a decision is likely."
Cllr Martin concluded by pointing out that the Minister's decision on gold prospecting licences hangs over the head of the Mayo Green Party like the sword of Damocles.
"If he grants it he cuts the throat of the party in Mayo but if he refuses it could do the party the world of good in next year's local elections in Mayo."
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