Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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567. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53063/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The development and expansion of the natural gas network including the routing of gas pipelines or the connection of towns to the gas pipeline network are matters 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.

Gas connections to any new area are 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. 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.

As with any potential new extension, GNI can discuss the process with any interested parties and identify if there is an opportunity for network extension.