Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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176. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of Ireland’s fuel security at Whitegate Oil Refinery east County Cork; if the industry is protected and preserved into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3130/22]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his Department has been in discussion with a company (details supplied) in County Cork to discuss preserving Ireland’s only oil refinery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3131/22]

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if Ireland’s only oil refinery (details supplied) at Whitegate, east County Cork will be nationalised in the event of the refinery facing closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3132/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 177 and 178 together.

The oil refinery at Whitegate is in the private sector and is owned by Irving Oil. While I have no role in the operation of the facility, in October 2021 I met with the company's senior management team, where they outlined the refinery's operations and their future development options.

The region of 60%-70% of Ireland’s refined oil product demand is currently imported through 6 principal oil ports on the island of Ireland from a range of countries. Whitegate’s refined product output meets the remainder of Ireland’s inland demand.

The National Oil Reserve Agency (NORA) has responsibility for maintaining transport fuel security in Ireland. As a member of both the European Union and the International Energy Agency, Ireland maintains a 90 day fuel security reserve, the vast bulk of which is held physically at different regional locations on the island of Ireland. NORA provide monthly updates to the Department on the amount of stock held to show that it is meeting the 90 day requirement.