Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 21 Nov 1990

Vol. 402 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin City Natural Gas Supply.

Eric J. Byrne

Ceist:

10 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Energy if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are up to 100,000 dwellings in 350 non-gas housing estates in Dublin including St. Anne's, KCR, Dublin 12; that since the ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of coal, many housing estates would like the option to use natural gas; if it is his intention to speed up the extension of the gas grid to non-gas estates; and if he will, in conjunction with An Bord Gáis, ensure that the installation fees for residents is moderately priced to ensure a large take-up of this, our own non-imported energy supply.

Mr. Molloy:

I am aware of the position relating to non-gas estates in the Dublin area referred to in the Deputy's question. As I said in my reply to the Deputy on the Adjournment on Wednesday last, 14 November, Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) have recently drawn up a register of non-gas estates in the Dublin area and are currently involved in drawing up a programme for connection of those estates to the gas distribution network. This programme should be ready early in the new year. The board will then be in a position to indicate when particular estates may be connected.

A construction project of that size requires detailed planning and co-ordination, and the installation of the necessary mains will take place over a four to five year period.

BGE are obliged to earn a commercial return on capital invested and only those estates which would provide a satisfactory return on the board's investment will be supplied. It will, therefore, be necessary to survey every estate to evaluate the level of take-up in each case. The connection fee charged by BGE to individual householders will continue to be set, as heretofore, at a level which reflects the board's own costs in making a gas supply available.

Mr. Byrne:

Would the Minister agree that forward planning is vital since we discovered natural gas off the head of Kinsale and that plans are afoot to interlink the Irish gas grid with the continental gas grid, certainly with Britain and Europe? The least his Department should do is ensure that the 100,000 homes in the Dublin city area which are without gas have the gas pipeline extended to them so that they can play their part in improving the environment. Would the Minister agree that it is imperative that Dublin Gas service not only those estates into which there is a gas pipe line but also the non-gas estates, in which there is a total of 100,000 homes?

Mr. Molloy:

I have answered the Deputy twice on this matter. Bord Gáis Éireann are drawing up a programme extending over a period of four years to see if the gas supply can be made available to all the remaining non-gas estates in the Dublin area. If all the houses in Dublin were to be connected to the supply it would cost about £60 million and therefore it is not something that can be achieved over a short period of time. I hope the House will agree that Bord Gáis Éireann's efforts in this matter are to be commended. When their programme is available the householders in these estates will be able to gauge when it is likely that piped gas will be supplied to their homes.

Mr. Durkan:

The Minister in his reply referred to the Dublin area. Does that include the satellite towns in the general region?

Mr. Molloy:

I am referring to the housing estates in the Dublin city area and not to satellite towns or towns far out in the Deputy's constituency.

Mr. R. Bruton:

Would the Minister not agree that the Government are acting like Pontius Pilate in this regard? They have imposed a ban on fuels and they expect all the costs to be borne by ordinary householders, 80 per cent of whom will get no help whatever. Will he agree, therefore, that the sole commercial test which he has demanded from Bord Gáis Éireann ignores the social benefits of the cleanest — and indigenous — fuel, natural gas, being used more extensively in our city?

Mr. Molloy:

Bord Gáis Éireann are examining ways in which they can help householders to install gas central heating systems in their homes. They have devised some schemes already and are in the process of examining others which might help to ease the initial cost for householders. They are to be commended for the work they have undertaken. Indeed, they are working flat out at present extending gas into homes and their workload is at a very high level. However, when the company are making decisions, they must, at all times, bear in mind the commercial reality of the project.

An Ceann Comhairle:

Deputy Byrne, for a final supplementary, please.

Mr. Byrne:

I am very worried about the notion of commercial reality. I am sure the Minister will agree that there is a captive market of people who do not have the gas infrastructure in their estates and who are keen to use a non-imported fuel, our own natural resource. What is happening——

An Ceann Comhairle:

A question, please.

Mr. Byrne:

Does the Minister share my concern that in Orwell Park estate or Perrystown, for example, it is punitive to ask the potential consumer of gas to pay exorbitant sums of £1,000 per household to have the gas infrastructure laid to their door? Will the Minister also agree that Dublin Gas have a captive customer market in the estates which have gas and are happy to service that market while ignoring the other potential 100,000 customers? Will he agree to do something about this situation?

Mr. Molloy:

It would, of course, be very helpful to Bord Gáis Éireann if there was a greater uptake from householders. As I understand it, only about 30 per cent of dwellings in areas served by the gas grid have gas central heating.

Tomás Mac Giolla:

Only 30 per cent?

Mr. Molloy:

Other fuels compete with gas and one must bear in mind that where the company undertake the heavy capital investment in extending the gas main, they do not get the full uptake in those areas because of the fact that people are already committed to other fuels, because they do not wish to change over and because, in some cases, of the cost involved. The best way to bring down the initial installation costs would be if Dublin Gas could achieve a higher uptake in the areas where they already have a gas main laid on. They have identified this as a market where there is room for expansion and will continue their efforts to increase the uptake wherever possible.