These Regulations amend the Minerals Development Act, 1940 in section (8A) on Environmental Impact Assessment, and more precisely concerning the application of the screening provisions in respect of Environmental Impact Assessment in the context of applications for consent for deep drilling for mineral exploration purposes (especially in protected areas including European sited and water protection areas). Section 8A was inserted by the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment) Regulations 2018. The amendment is made in paragraph (3), which now reads "A holder of a prospecting licence under section 8 who, in compliance with that licence, applies to the Minister for consent to undertake deep drillings listed as a project in paragraph 2(d) of Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive ( proposed activity ) shall, subject to subsection (4), also apply to the Minister for a screening determination for environmental impact assessment.