Government ‘powerless’ to secure Whitegate future

The Government is unable to guarantee the operation of the Whitegate oil refinery once an obligation to operate it expires in a year, according to a department spokesperson.

Fears have been raised in recent days for the country’s only refinery after the Irish Examiner revealed its parent company, US-based Phillips 66 was still considering selling the east Cork facility.

A spokesperson for the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources said the Government’s preference is for refining to continue after July 2016 when Phillips 66’s obligation expires.