asked the Minister for Energy when it is expected that a decision will be made on the route of the proposed gas pipeline from Cork to Dublin.

Bord Gáis Éireann have carried out, at my instruction, a study encompassing the design, routing and costing of a pipeline to supply the Dublin area. I have just received the board's preliminary report.

No decision on the selection of a pipeline route can be taken before this report has been considered in detail by my Department. I would hope that this assessment would allow a final decision on pipeline routing to be made within the next few months.