Natural gas network rolls out to Munster towns

SEVERAL towns and villages in Cork and Tipperary are to be connected to a natural gas network.

The locations to be connected, as part of a €15 million project, are Tipperary Town along with Kinsale and Innishannon.

Gaslink, the independent operator of Ireland’s natural gas network, has announced it is also extending supply to Co Meath and stated the timing of the roll-out will be dependent on demand.

The announcement follows the completion of Phase 3 of the New Towns Study which was initiated by Bord Gáis Networks in 2008 with the objective of determining the economic viability of connecting new towns and villages to the natural gas network.

Gaslink initially looked at 39 locations to determine which would be most suitable.

In the end they chose three towns and a village.

“This is good news for the four places and Gaslink will work with local authorities, businesses and developers in each town to ensure that natural gas flows to these towns as soon as economically viable,” Gaslink general manager Aidan O’Sullivan said.

He said Gaslink will continue to review towns which did not qualify for connection following the study and other towns on an ongoing basis.

“The key factor which would qualify a town or group of towns in any future review would be a significant increase in demand for natural gas, probably resulting from the addition of a new large industrial or commercial facility,” Mr O’Sullivan added.