David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the strategic importance to the State of the oil refinery in Whitegate in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44803/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Ireland has one refinery in Whitegate, Cork. While oil has been virtually eliminated from the electricity sector, Ireland is almost completely dependent on oil for fuel in the transport sector and is heavily reliant on oil for heating. All oil consumed in Ireland is imported (either as already refined product or as crude oil that is refined at Whitegate). The refinery supplies 30- 40% of the main oil products (excluding jet fuel) to the Irish market.

A study completed for my Department in 2012 on the strategic case for oil refining requirements on the island of Ireland concluded that an operating refinery provides an alternative source of product supply versus complete reliance on product imports and therefore provides flexibility in security of supply. It also concluded that a refinery delivers economic benefits and provides employment. A further conclusion was that the existing port infrastructure would be capable of supplying the required product imports if there were no refinery on the island. The Government considered the report and concluded that the continued operation of the Whitegate refinery on a commercial basis is highly desirable from an energy security and economic perspective. Security of supply, resilience and the ability to respond to an energy crisis remains a fundamental tenet of our energy policy.

The owners of the refinery, Phillips 66, advised my Department in October that they were putting the Whitegate refinery up for sale. A refinery sale would be a commercial matter between Phillips 66 and a potential purchaser. As this process is underway Whitegate will continue to be operated on a business as usual basis.