Máirín Quill
Question:20 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the present position in relation to plans for the upgrading of the refinery at Whitegate, County Cork.
Written Answers. - Whitegate Refinery.
In response to the recommendations of the Culliton and Moriarty reports the Government decided that the mandatory off-take of petroleum products from Whitegate Refinery at cost recovery prices must be terminated by end of 1996 at the latest.
In order to enable the refinery to compete with market prices after 1996, the board of INPC developed a three-year plan which was approved in December, 1993 for commercialisation of refinery operations. The plan, which is currently in the course of implementation, incorporates investments costing about £26 million and marketing initiatives including a broadening of the product range.
A joint venture proposal which has been received for a major upgrade of the refinery is also being considered. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, further details of these proposals cannot be released at this stage.