Natural resources of the Republic of Ireland
The primary natural resources of the Republic of Ireland include natural gas, petroleum, peat, copper, lead, dolomite, barite, limestone, gypsum, silver and zinc. Key industries based on these and other natural resources include fishing, mining, and various forms of agriculture and fish farming. The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is charged with the legislative protection of Ireland's natural resources.
Mining
The historic and archaeological record of the island demonstrates a history of mining dating to Bronze Age Ireland, when the south was an important copper producer – including from sites at Ross Island, Kerry, Allihies, Cork and later Bunmahon, Waterford.Mining became more industrialised during the Industrial Revolution, and gold mining experienced some growth – including a "gold rush" in the late 18th and early 19th centuries at Gold Mines River, Wicklow. Later 20th and 21st century gold-mining plans were met with significant opposition owing to the expected environmental impact.
By the late 20th century, Ireland became a significant player in the industry, ranking highly in a Fraser Institute survey. As of 2007, Ireland produced 38% of Western Europe's zinc and 25% of its lead, from lead and zinc mines including Lisheen Mine, Tipperary, Tara Mine, Meath, and Galmoy Mine, Kilkenny.
As of the 21st century, mining companies operating in Ireland include Anglo-American plc, Arcon, New Boliden, Conroy Diamonds and Gold, Hereward Ventures plc, Minco Mining & Metals Corporation, and others.
Primary raw material industries in Ireland include those involving steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminium, barite, and gypsum mining processing. Heavy industry relying on these materials is centered around key port cities such as Dublin, Cork, and Belfast.
Energy sources
Peat
has been Ireland's staple fuel for centuries and as of 2005 it provided about 9% of the country's energy needs. Peatlands cover approximately 17% of the area of Ireland, and Bord na Móna is a semi-state company charged with the mechanised harvesting of peat – extracting more than 4 million tonnes in 2014.Bord na Móna reduced peat harvesting in 2017 and implemented a "Brown to Green" transition to eliminate peat harvesting from 2018.
In recent years, peat harvesting has been continued by individuals who generally use the fuel in their domestic fireplaces and appliances.
Gas
Major fossil fuel finds include the Kinsale Head gas field and Corrib gas field. The latter entails the extraction of gas from a natural gas deposit off the northwest coast of Ireland. The project includes a development of the Corrib gas field, and constructions of the natural gas pipeline and a gas processing plant. The Corrib project attracted significant and sustained controversy owing to concerns about its environmental impact, safety issues, alleged planning irregularities, debate on the conditions in which private interests benefit from state resources, and the perceived poor contribution that the project returns to the economy. A number of groups, notably the Rossport Five and Shell to Sea campaign, gained national attention for their opposition to the project. While, as of 2024, the Corrib gas field had been substantially depleted, an adjacent gas find called Iniskea is seeking to connect to the Corrib subsea infrastructure and maintain the jobs and onshore investment in County Mayo.Oil
An Irish oil exploration company called Providence Resources announced in July 2012 that it had discovered a field with in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil at the Barryroe oil well, 70 km from the coast of County Cork. Providence later revised the amount of oil obtainable to approximately 300 million barrels, worth several billions of euro. Providence has interests in other Irish oil and gas fields, including one off the coast of Spanish Point in Clare. Other potential offshore oil and gas fields have yet to be explored for viability.Renewable resources
Ireland's experience with state-sponsored renewable energy projects dates from 1925, and the Ardnacrusha project. Other new and renewable energy projects include hydroelectric, solar, and wind power initiatives, including one of the country's first wind farms at Bellacorick in 1992.Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry
, is a key contributor to the Economy of Ireland. In 2005, Ireland exported approximately €7.3 billion worth of agri-food and drink, mainly as cattle, beef, and dairy products, and mainly to the United Kingdom. Agriculture products include turnips, barley, potatoes, wheat, beef, and dairy products. The warmer and more moist conditions in the south and southwest have the potential to support other crops – including soybeans.The fishing grounds around Ireland's territorial seas and waters include the Irish Conservation Box – a 100,000 km2 zone specifically protected from overfishing. In addition, Ireland has many thousands of kilometres of fish-bearing rivers and lakes. These fresh water habitats support native fish species including char, eel, brown trout, perch, pike, pollan, and roach. The North Atlantic Drift warms the waters off the coast, increasing the number of warm water fish species caught offshore.
Ireland has amongst the lowest forest cover of all European countries, with 11% coverage compared to a European average of over 30%. Coillte is the state-sponsored entity responsible for forestry management – it is responsible to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Minister for Finance.
Mushrooms are a significant industry in Ireland and one that bears the significant exposure from Brexit negotiations. Irish producers grow around 70,000 tons of mushrooms each year, 80% of which are sold in the UK, for a value of €120 million each year. Fresh mushrooms need to be sold very quickly after harvest, about 5 to 7 days. The industry is heavily dependent on the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with producers poised close to the border and working together on a cross-border basis to purchase supplies and transport their harvested produce.