Vol. 381 No. 5
asked the Minister for Energy if there have been any developments regarding the acquisition of the Dundalk Gas Company, County Louth, by Bord Gáis Éireann; and whether natural gas will be supplied to the industrial, commercial and ordinary consumers on the Dundalk Gas Company network.
45.
asked the Minister for Energy when Dundalk, County Louth, will get a supply of natural gas.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 45 together.
Construction of the north-eastern pipeline has commenced and will be completed by the end of the year. The pipeline will run from Abbotstown through the North Dublin area to Ballough and then on to Drogheda and Dundalk.
In relation to Dundalk Gas Company, Bord Gáis Éireann have decided that the acquisition of the company would not be economically justified. This decision was based on a detailed technical and commercial evaluation of the utility. Dundalk Gas Company were not in a position to renew their public liability insurance on 12 May and indicated that the company would have to close at short notice. In order to protect the utility's consumers from hardship, Bord Gáis Éireann have been directed to arrange for the orderly shutdown of the gas system and the conversion of consumers' appliances to other fuels. BGE have reached agreement with Dundalk Gas on this matter, and the closure and conversion process will commence shortly. Insurance cover has already been arranged by Bord Gáis. The approach adopted here is the same as that previously used by BGE in Kilkenny.
Industries and commercial enterprises in the Dundalk area will be connected, where appropriate, to natural gas via the north-eastern pipeline.
