asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will make a statement on (a) the desirability or otherwise of providing district heating in housing estates and (b) the possibility of providing this service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Housing Estate Heating.
13.
(Cavan): As indicated by my predecessor in reply to a question on this subject on 18th May, 1976, it is Government policy to encourage conservation in the use of energy; district heating represents a potential means of achieving energy efficiency and economy.
The report entitled "Energy Conservation in Ireland 1975-85" which was recently published, recommended that outline plans for feasible schemes of district heating and waste incineration with or without electricity generation should be prepared without delay and should show some costbenefit parameters for each proposed scheme. Some constraints were mentioned in the report such as the high capital cost, possible environmental damage, disruption of roads in reaching houses built some time ago and social resistance.
Prior to the receipt of this report, a working party on district heating had been established in my Department. The working party is at present awaiting the results of a study which the ESB have carried out on the potential district heating for a site in Dublin and another in Cork. I understand that this is expected to be completed in the near future.