PROVIDENCE Resources has said it is “frustrated” after it postponed a planned site survey at its Barryroe operations in the Celtic Sea off the Cork coast.

The survey had been scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, but will now take place in early 2019. Permission for the survey had been granted by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in October. Earlier this month Providence was notified that An Taisce had issued legal proceedings against the minister and the Attorney General, with Providence subsidiary Exola as notice party. The action seeks to examine the process by which permission was granted for the survey, as well as raising issues relative to environmental assessment and compliance with EU law.

The matter initially came before the court in November, but was adjourned until December 11.

Exola is planning to be in a position to conduct well site survey operations in the spring, before starting drilling operations in the third quarter of 2019, subject to required approvals and consents.

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