Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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565. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the provision of a gas line extension to cater for Longford town. [2801/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The development and expansion of the natural gas network is in the first instance a commercial and operational matter for Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), which is a commercial State-sponsored Body under the aegis of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. GNI is mandated under Section 8 of the Gas Act 1976, as amended, to develop and maintain a national system for the supply of natural gas that is both economical and efficient.  GNI's published "Connections Policy", which was most recently revised in 2015, sets out its policy for new connections to the transmission and distribution gas networks. Under this policy, GNI conducts studies to assess towns for connections to the gas network. In order for any town to be so connected certain economic criteria need to be satisfied.  These criteria provide that the construction and operating costs of connecting a town, or group of towns, to the network must be recovered through the consumption of gas and the associated network charges. In this regard, the 2015 Energy White Paper underlined that new infrastructure proposals will continue to be assessed through robust analysis.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is statutorily responsible for assessing and approving the GNI Connections Policy, and it concluded its last such approval process in October 2015 following the usual public consultation. I have no statutory role in relation to this matter.