asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy what guarantees, if any, have been given to the Dublin Gas Company on behalf of the Government with regard to supplying the company with gas from the Kinsale field; and what the policy of the Government is in relation to any such supply of gas.

16.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if plans have been adopted for the distribution of natural gas throughout the country from any new finds as well as from the existing one.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.

No guarantee has been given to the Dublin Gas Company on behalf of the Government about a supply of natural gas from the Kinsale gas field. The question of making natural gas available in Dublin and in other centres is under study at present.

The Parliamentary Secretary says no guarantee was given or no commitment of any kind was entered into prior to the general election.

No.

That is quite categoric?

Quite.