asked the Minister for Energy the guarantees the Government will require, in the event of an oil find being made public, to ensure that the work platforms will be built at Verolme Dockyards, Cork.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil Find Work Platforms.
20.
There is no question at present of the need for offshore installations to provide for oil production, as the existence of oil in commercial quantities has not been established. In the event that a decision is taken at any future time to produce oil offshore, the interests of Irish companies, capable of supplying any of the facilities required, will be strongly promoted by my Department. In this connection our offshore licensing terms provide that licensees shall use goods and services of Irish origin as far as they are competitive in regard to quality, service, delivery period and price.
While it would be my objective to ensure that the maximum opportunities were afforded to Irish firms capable of supplying offshore equipment and services, it would not be appropriate for me to require licensees to afford a preference for one Irish firm as compared with another in the award of any particular contract.