Michael Ring
Ceist:360 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason a town (details supplied) in County Mayo has been excluded from connection to the gas grid. [41313/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 5 December 2006
Ceisteanna (332, 333, 334)
Michael Ring
Ceist:361 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the location from where the CER obtained the projected population figures for a town (detail supplied) in County Mayo. [41314/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraMichael Ring
Ceist:362 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason certain towns were grouped together in relation to the report released by the CER (details supplied). [41315/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The position is that, since 2002, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which is a statutory independent body, has been charged with all aspects of the assessment and licensing of prospective operators who wish to develop and/or operate a gas distribution system within the State under the Gas (Interim) (Regulation) Act 2002.
Earlier this year the CER directed Bord Gáis (BGÉ) to implement a new Gas Connections Policy, which determines the economic viability of connecting towns to the gas network. In order for any town to be connected to the gas network, certain economic criteria need to be satisfied as a prerequisite. This is to ensure that, over a certain period, the costs of connecting the town to the network are recouped through the consumption of gas and the associated tariffs. The new policy allows for the appraisal of a new town either on its own or as part of a regional group of towns.
Having regard to this new policy, BGÉ carried out a comprehensive review of towns being considered for connection to the national gas network. The review is being conducted in two phases, and phase 1, which covers the towns in the proximity of the Mayo-Galway Pipeline (including Ballinrobe) has already been completed. I am advised that the connection of Ballinrobe to the network was determined not to be currently economically viable.
As regards the methodology employed by BGÉ in the review, including source material for population figures and the grouping of particular towns together, I can advise the House that BGÉ has a dedicated e-mail address, newtowns@bge.ie, for the purpose of dealing with any such queries.