Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this topic and the Minister for coming in. I hope he will be able to respond in a constructive way to some of the points I want to make. While the gas explosion occurred in Leixlip, the town in which I live, I want to raise the issue in a wider context. Yesterday the Minister said approximately 640,000 households are connected to gas. Obviously, the safety of people whose homes are connected to and use gas is of paramount concern. I also wish a speedy recovery to one of the three people in the house in which the explosion occurred who was very seriously injured and is in hospital.

After I heard about the explosion on Saturday, I visited the area because not only are these people constituents but some of them are friends. The house in which the explosion occurred does not have gas central heating but oil fired central heating. The electricity went off at approximately 7 p.m. for a few minutes and an hour or an hour and half after that people smelled gas, Bord Gáis Éireann, BGE, was contacted and the people from BGE came out. There was a sizable gas leak so much so that it could be seen as steam rising to the height of a tree on the footpath. Gas was smelled by people on the road.

The house next door to that in which the explosion occurred has gas. The people from BGE came out, fixed the leak and left. I am not sure if the electricity went off at this stage but there seems to be a link between the electricity and gas. Gas does not respect property boundaries, so will seep into places. The house in which the explosion took place did not have gas central heating. It never occurred to them, therefore, that they would have to question whether the house was safe. A candle was lit and this ignited the gas in the house.

Many of the residents in the area were concerned that a wider check was not undertaken to test for the presence of gas in their houses and to evacuate some of them. The only action taken was to treat the gas leak and there is merit in their concern. I share their concerns that something more comprehensive should have have been done. I am sure the work was done by contractors for the gas company but it has overall responsibility. In advance of the completion of the inquiries into the explosion, which will determine the cause and which will take time, there is a wider issue about handling similar incidents if they arise in terms of the protocols around the contractors and safety procedures. Will the Minister engage with officials from BGE or CER or other appropriate officials in order that a similar incident does not recur? The three families evacuated remain out of their homes because serious damage was done to them. I appreciate that the Minister is present to reply.

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