Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the important topic of gas safety. I entirely agree with the Deputy that safety must be of paramount concern.

BGE is the owner of the national gas transmission and distribution systems and is mandated with the development and maintenance of the natural gas network under the Gas Act 1976. The Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, is the statutorily independent energy regulator charged with all aspects of the licensing of transmission and distribution operators. A key legal responsibility of the CER is to promote the safety of natural gas for customers and the public generally. The regulator's remit also includes specific responsibility for the regulation from a safety perspective of undertakings involved in gas transmission, distribution, storage, supply and shipping. It has established a natural gas safety regulatory framework, including a system for the inspection and testing of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines.

The CER places obligations on undertakings to ensure that safety risks associated with their operations are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable. BGE's transmission and distribution operations are subjected to ongoing audit and inspection by the CER. Additionally, BGE reports quarterly to the CER on a comprehensive range of safety performance indicators to verify that all operations are in compliance with the overall natural gas regulatory framework. Safety is BGE's first priority. The company is committed to ongoing development and maintenance of the gas networks and systems to ensure safety and to deliver continuous safety improvement and performance. It also has a continuous programme of safety promotion, including the gas efficiency service, the "dial before you dig" service, the promotion of registered gas installers and raising public awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Since its establishment, BGE has developed and modernised a national gas distribution pipeline network and a gas transmission pipeline network. The company operates the networks in compliance with recognised Irish and international quality and safety standards. Bord Gais Networks, BGN, manages gas network maintenance and safety programmes using procedures under the CER's gas safety regulatory framework and the requirements of the Health and Safety Authority. The regulator has a comprehensive audit regime to monitor compliance with safety case requirements.

It is standard procedure that natural gas incidents are investigated by BGN and a report prepared on all relevant findings. In the case of the incident that occurred last Saturday, BGN has carried out a preliminary report into the incident. In accordance with standard procedures, the regulator has instructed independent consultants to carry out an investigation into the incident. I understand from the regulator that it expects the independent assessment to be completed early next week. The CER ensures that all follow-up actions from such investigations are subsequently carried out by BGE, as required, and that areas of learning from particular incident are used to put in place measures to help prevent similar incidents recurring.

I have every confidence in BGE's priority commitment to safety and its safety and emergency response service but there is never room for complacency and the company is engaged in a constant process of safety review and enhancement working with CER.

I fully share the Deputy's concerns in regard to the incident last Saturday and gas safety in general. I would like to convey my sympathy to the unfortunate injured occupants. There can be no room for complacency where the protection of life is concerned. We need to ensure that all lessons are learned from such incidents and that all necessary measures are put in place to reduce or eliminate the risks of similar incidents recurring.

CER's process of investigation of gas safety incidents and follow-up action on recommendations is well established. An example is a gas explosion at a private residence in Rathfarnham in November 2003. Among the recommendations of the report of that investigation, all of which were endorsed by the CER, was that BGE should implement a programme of cast iron mains replacement in areas of subsidence. At the time, the company was systematically replacing the entire old networks with modern plastic pipes. Prior to the Rathfarnham incident the programme had been projected to take between ten to 15 years. In 2004, BGE revised its plans in conjunction with the CER and fast tracked completion of the renewal programme in five years.

It will be a matter for the CER to assess the recommendations of the two investigations into the Leixlip incident. The regulator will then consider what, if any, remedial measures are necessary to augment safety standards. I will take a close interest in the outcome of the regulator's investigation.

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