65 Mr. Cullimore asked the Minister for Energy if his Department have any plans in the immediate future to provide a link from our national gas grid as an alternative energy source to Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bord Gáis Éireann has a statutory obligation to earn a reasonable return on its capital investment and any proposals to extend the gas grid must be viewed by the board in the light of that obligation.

I am advised by the board that it has no plans at present to provide gas to Wexford. Evaluations have shown that this would be uneconomic.