Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the allocation in his Department's Estimate for 2006 as a contribution to building a pipeline from the Shell gas terminal at Ballinaboy to Belmullet town, County Mayo as committed by him at a public meeting in 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36953/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to a meeting held in Belmullet in May 2003, which was the only public meeting that I attended in relation to the Shell gas terminal at Ballinaboy. On funding the gas line from Ballinaboy to Belmullet, the record of what I said at the meeting is as follows:

I give a commitment here tonight that I will do all in my power and will use the money at my disposal, if this gas comes in, to try to make sure that a pipe is built from Ballinaboy to Belmullet. I have, year after year, as you know, put money into roads in this area and have put money into piers. The cost of a pipe would be in the region of €5 million to €6 million. My Department alone is spending €9 million this year in County Mayo. I think I will be able to find my share of the money to bring the pipe to anywhere where there is a likely useful need.

In line with the commitment given at the meeting, I will continue to work, as promised, to achieve the objective that gas, when available, will be provided to the town of Belmullet. I will also give favourable consideration to making funds available to achieve this objective, subject to State aid regulations, to CER approval and to the approval of other relevant Departments. However, given the current status of the overall Shell gas project, it would be premature to consider any specific allocation at this time.