Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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470. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when gas pipeline works will take place in an estate (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9670/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The routing of gas pipelines or the connection of towns to the gas pipeline network are matters for Gas Networks Ireland (GNI). Gas connections to any new area is evaluated in accordance with the criteria in GNI’s Connections Policy, as approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the statutorily independent energy regulator, which conducts consultations on its regulatory decisions. The cost-benefit for the connection needs to be positive i.e. the expected revenues over a period of time must exceed the projected costs for the project to be viable. The Connections Policy appraises both domestic and industrial/commercial demand, and so proximity to a major pipeline and a large industrial/commercial gas load tend to be the most significant factors in town appraisals.

I am informed that GNI received only one previous connection enquiry from a resident of this estate in 2015 and that the connection did not subsequently proceed further. GNI further stated that while there are no current plans to extend the existing gas network into this estate, it will get in contact with any interested parties to discuss the process and identify again if there is an opportunity for network extension.