I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 18 together.
Gulf Oil (Ireland) Limited is operator for the consortium involved in licence 5/82 under which well 50/6-1 was drilled. As Deputies are aware it is the practice that statements regarding the results of wells are in all cases issued by the operator. In regard to well 50/6-1 which has now been completed, the operator has today issued a formal statement on its results which indicate that, on test, the well produced a flow rate of 2,074 barrels of 44.8 degrees API gravity oil per day with, 1,284 thousand standard cubic feet per day of gas.
In view of the strictly confidential nature of the specific well data, I do not propose to depart from normal practice by adding to that announcement but I can let the Deputies have copies of the operator's statement if they wish.
The question of bringing the oil ashore, either in this country or elsewhere, does not arise at the present time. Obviously, all parties concerned will have to study the results of the well in detail before they can reach any conclusions about the discovery.