Vol. 439 No. 1
27 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the implications for Ireland of the adoption by the European Commission of proposals on trans-European gas and electricity networks to improve supplies in the EU, particularly in peripheral regions.
In the context of the completion of trans-European networks the EC Commission has identified, among other things, the need for increased energy transmission capacity, including transmission to the peripheral regions of the Community.
Three Irish energy related projects have been recognised as being projects of European interest: 1. an electricity interconnector with the UK. The feasibility of this project is currently under examination; 2. the construction of a gas liquefaction plant to provide peak shaving and backup security to supplies through the Ireland/UK natural gas interconnector; and 3 a North/South high pressure natural gas transmission pipeline from the interconnector connection to the Irish grid link with the planned Northern Ireland/British pipeline.
The latter two projects are at the planning stage and will be subject to detailed feasibility studies before a decision is made by Bord Gáis and my Department on whether to proceed with either or both of them.
A working party, under the aegis of the European Commission, will assess each of the projects proposed for the list of projects of European interest before a final decision is made in regard to assistance from the European Union for any particular project.
