Householders in Tuam could get gas connection if numbers add up

By JACQUELINE HOGGE RESIDENTIAL gas supplies are in the pipeline for Tuam as the town prepares for connection to the gas network later this month. Executives from Bord Gáis made a presentation to the town council this week, where they outlined details of a €3.3 million project that will initially see gas supplied to several industrial customers in the town. A Dublin-based contractor, GMC Utilities, has been appointed for the works, which are expected to begin in early June and will last approximately 12 weeks. Peadar Oâ€â„¢Mahony, a senior civil engineer with Bord Gáis Networks told councillors that while it had been a slow burner getting to the stage of construction, the company was now very close to commencing work.[private] â€Å“Talks are ongoing with Galway County Council regarding the purchase of ducts installed during the Big Dig, but we are confident that these will conclude successfully soon and we will be in a position to begin construction of the main feeder pipe from Beaghmore at Caherlistrane, into Tuam via the Weir Road at the end of May,â€Â he said. â€Å“The timeline for the town works has yet to be confirmed but a road closure order has been secured for the Weir Road and we will advertise works a week in advance of their commencement. Ducting installed â€Å“Over eight kilometres of ducting was installed during the big dig and these will have to be accessed via excavation works on every street in the town. â€Å“However, the pits we will dig, at approximately 200m intervals are more discreet than open-face excavation work and we will aim to keep disruption to traffic flow to a minimum.â€Â Street-specific traffic management plans are to be finalised in conjunction with Galway County Councilâ€â„¢s local area office on High Street, and it is hoped that trenchless pipe installation can be accommodated where the ground conditions allow. â€Å“There will be some requirement for open-cut drilling but the ducts are already in place throughout the town and the gas pipes will be threaded through these as much as possible,â€Â added Peadar. Fiachra Quigley, the companyâ€â„¢s provincial sales manager for new connections, said a gas connection in the town would provide a major boost to attracting inward investment and industry . In for the long haul He also said the potential for residential connections was very strong, as the company was in Tuam for the â€Ëœlong haulâ€â„¢. A stakeholdersâ€â„¢ meeting will be held in the Ard Rí hotel later this month, to which a variety of groups will be invited. â€Å“We will be asking Tuam Chamber of Commerce, community and voluntary groups, local representatives at all levels, council officials, the Gardaí, fire service and local businesses involved in heating supplies and installation services to come to this meeting,â€Â said Fiachra. â€Å“We want to give them all the information involved in Tuamâ€â„¢s natural gas connection as well as be able to address any issues or concerns they may have.â€Â Town Manager Frank Gilmore told the meeting that 90 per cent of the ducting had been installed during the Big Dig and while there would be further disruption during the works, Bord Gáisâ€â„¢ track record was first-class in terms of restoring roads to the standard in which they found them. Fiachra Quigley also confirmed that while the initial tranche of work would focus on connecting industry to the network, residential gas connections would be available at a future date.[/private]