Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I assure Deputy Harrington that it is my intention in the very near future to publish the strategic study and I would be very happy to see it debated in the joint committee. It is open to the committee to bring in representatives from Phillips 66 to discuss different aspects of that company's decision. The fact is that the obligations to 2016 will remain in place. It is difficult to say what will happen in the months ahead, however. It has been the thrust of policy of the National Oil Reserves Agency to ensure that more and more of the stocks needed to meet our 90-day obligation are located in Ireland. Bantry, in the Deputy's own constituency, is hugely significant in that regard. I assure Deputies Harrington and Stanton and other colleagues from the region that we were dealing with the future of Whitegate before any announcement was made by its current owner on its long-term plans. Studies, both completed and under way, have been undertaken in Europe on the scale of refining capacity in the EU at the moment and on how essential or otherwise it is that each country maintain the same scale of refining capacity as existed in days gone by.

The Deputy asked me what connection, if any, existed between the prospects for oil finds in the broad vicinity of the facilities and the maintenance of Whitegate. I have visited the area and am aware of direct discussions between, for example, Barryroe and Whitegate management. It is too early to say what the story is, but certainly there is oil in the Barryroe strike. What has not yet been established is whether it is commercially viable and extractable. It may require the drilling of another two or three wells to establish that. It is encouraging, however. Clearly, the lead shareholder in the company sees a direct link between the prospect and the availability of the facility at Whitegate. In addition, the Deputy will know that we have recently started to drill off Dún Chaoin, which is a particularly hopeful prospect. One cannot say with any certainty, but it appears to be a significant development. All of this will be taken into account. Perhaps the time to resume the discussion will be when the Deputies have accessed the strategic study and have an opportunity to tease it through in committee.

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