Peter Barry
Question:104 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Energy if his Department will arrange to meet officials of the Ecuadorian Government to discuss proposals on the future of the Whitegate oil refinery in County Cork.
Written Answers. - Whitegate Oil Refinery.
Officials of my Department have been in correspondence and have met with the Ecuadorian Vice-Consul in Ireland and her husband on a number of occasions since 1981. While there has been no direct approach from the Ecuadorian oil authorities the Vice-Consul has been informed that my Department would, of course, be willing to consider any worthwhile project; no such project has emerged to date from Ecuadorian sources. In the absence of firm proposals a further meeting would seem to serve little useful purpose.