The division of West Cork into two electoral areas, Skibbereen and Bantry, would strongly appear to favour the two main political parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

TECHNICAL evaluations of the troubled Ramco-owned Seven Heads gas field off the Cork coast are not expected to result in an upgrade to its value, it emerged yesterday.

RAMCO, the developers of the Seven Heads gas field off the Cork coast who expect to bring 60 million cubic feet of gas ashore a day from November, have raised 13m to search for more gas in the area.