andMr. Barrett asked the Minister for Transport and Power the studies, if any, that have been made regarding the desirability of laying pipe lines so that natural gas may be distributed on a country wide basis from the immediate areas where the gas may have been found.

(Cavan): I would refer the Deputies to the reply of 4th November, 1975, to a question by Deputy B. Desmond on this subject. In deciding on the allocation of the Kinsale Head find the Government had regard to a study carried out on its behalf which indicated, inter alia, that the size of the find would not justify a grid distribution system. There have been no further finds of natural gas but exploration is still being carried out. An inter-departmental working group is at present studying the possible uses of any future finds of oil or natural gas. This study will encompass all aspects of this matter including the feasibility of distribution of any future finds of natural gas by way of pipelines on a country wide basis.

Will the Minister agree that, in view of the very high cost of naphtha and the inability of the Dublin and Limerick gas companies to get an alternative source, plans should be initiated to make natural gas available immediately, particularly to Dublin?

(Cavan): I agree with the Deputy that the cost of the raw materials for gas makes it essential that the best use possible be made of natural gas. In regard to the Kinsale find, we got all the best advice available and I am satisfied it was the right advice in regard to that find. Prospecting is going on in the Kish Basin and if that proves fruitful there will be very little problem in regard to piping it. I can assure the Deputy that there is a study going on with a view to deciding on the best possible use of future finds.

Has any study been made of the cost per therm for natural gas as against the present cost of using naphtha?

(Cavan): It would depend on where the natural gas came ashore and where it was proposed to use it. For example, if we considered the Kinsale Head find for use in places as far away as Dublin we would find it would be unthinkable because we are not a densely populated country and the cost of piping the gas 160 miles would be prohibitive.

Is the Minister aware that Britain and most European countries have been doing this and that calculating the cost should not therefore be so difficult? Should not some comparisons be made with a view to utilising the natural gas from Kinsale?

(Cavan): The best possible use will be made of the Kinsale gas. The Deputy cannot compare a densely populated country like Britain with a sparsely populated country like ours.

Will the Minister not agree that Norway is a more sparsely populated country than Ireland?

(Cavan): I am going on the advice given to me. I do not profess to be a personal expert on the matter. I am acting on the best advice available.

Does the Minister still maintain that the use of natural gas to generate electricity by the ESB is an economic and viable proposition, particularly in view of an article which appeared recently in the Sunday Independent which agreed with all the points we made a few years ago?

We cannot debate this measure today. I am calling the next question.

(Cavan): The advice I acted on was the advice given to my predecessor by Deputy Barrett, that the best way to use the gas was to use it in generating electricity.

We adopted this measure two years ago and we proposed that the ESB should not be given access——

Order. I have called Question No. 28.

(Cavan): It is on the record that Deputy Barrett urged my predecessor, who is now the Minister for Education, that the best way to use the Cork find was to use it in generating electricity but now he complains about it when we have done that.

That is incorrect. I merely asked a question——

(Cavan): I will leave it to the record.

I have called Question No. 28.