asked the Minister for Energy if he will outline the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations of the Cremer and Warner report on the Dublin Gas grid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Recommendations on Dublin Gas Grid.
10.
On 5 January last I published a lengthy and detailed statement on the progress made with the implementation of this and other reports on Dublin Gas since I became involved in these matters, and I am sending the Deputy a copy of that document. In the meantime the pace of improvement has been well maintained.
At present more than 95 per cent of the recommendations in the Cremer and Warner report which relate specifically to the Dublin Gas network have been implemented.
I am confident that all of these will be fully implemented in the coming weeks.
The Deputy will appreciate that a number of these recommendations relate to ongoing activities — training and public awareness for example and these will continue to receive priority.
Will the Minister give some indication of the progress in replacing the pipe work which has been pinpointed as having long outlived its life and which has resulted in a number of serious accidents, particularly in the inner city?
The pipe replacement programme was fully mobilised during 1987 and 21 kilometres of mains were replaced and inserted and six kilometres were taken out of commission. The 1988 programme which is being developed, is likely to be in the region of 80 to 100 kilometres, well up to the requirements of the task force. More than 5,000 customers have had their services renewed this year, well up on the target of the task force. The major renewal programme continues on a safety priority basis.
Will the Minister indicate how many kilometres require to be replaced urgently?
The figure is changing and work will proceed at the rate of 80 to 100 kilometres per year, which is far above anything undertaken before. In the old days we were dealing with about five kilometres per year. Because of the concentration of effort in 1987, despite the fact that the company was still in receivership, the figure was in excess of 21 kilometres. Under Bord Gáis the figure will be between 80 kilometres and 100 kilometres this year. I will let the Deputy have the figure for pipe lengths in the city.
I appreciate that Dublin Gas have made much progress in the past year and that Mr. Sommers did an excellent job in bringing the company around. Could the Minister give the number of kilometres of piping which the company have decided need to be replaced as a matter of urgency? What progress has been made in inspecting high rise buildings and assessing possible risks?
I cannot give the first figure but I will let the Deputy have it later. Dublin Gas internally surveyed over 13,000 apartments and are awaiting access to approximately 3,000 more.
What percentage of gas is now being lost through the network?
This seems to be a separate question but I can assure the Deputy that the situation has dramatically improved.
It was the subject of a recommendation.
Yes, and there has been a considerable improvement. The exact figure is not available to me here but I will get it for the Deputy.