asked the Minister for Industry and Energy if there are any proposals to extend the Kinsale gas pipeline to the Shannon-Ennis estuary area, County Clare.
Written Answers. - Kinsale Gas Extensions.
301.
As the Cork/Dublin pipeline has been successfully completed I now intend to move ahead as quickly as possible to consider the supply of gas to other population centres where this can be done on an economic basis. My first priority will be to look at centres with existing town gas industries since these should be in a better position to achieve the kind of rapid market expansion required to maximise sales in the premium market. One of the centres which is being actively considered for an early supply of natural gas is Limerick.
There may be a case for considering at a later stage, extension of supply to the Shannon area but there does not exist information at this stage which would enable me to give a more definite view.