Gas to the West officials are in Enniskillen today and are keen to speak to locals about the proposed route for the new gas pipeline; a major energy infrastructure project that will extend the benefits of natural gas to approximately 40,000 homes and businesses in the west of Northern Ireland.

Paddy Larkin is Chief Executive of Mutual Energy, the company that will own and operate the high pressure transmission pipeline to the west, which will be constructed by SGN.

He is in The Wesville Hotel today and is appealling for landowners and other interested parties to take part in the public consultation process that will help influence the final route for the pipeline.

The main component of the project will see the delivery of Natural Gas from Portadown in the East to Enniskillen and Derrylin in the West and include supply to Dungannon, Cookstown, Coalisland, Magherafelt and Omagh. It will see an overall investment of £250m into the local community, with a contribution of up to £32m from the Northern Ireland Government. Mr. larkin says: "In the first phase of the consultation process we are holding a number of public events to inform communities about the project to obtain their views on the project and to gather information that may be relevant to the pipeline route selection and assessment of any potential environmental impacts. "A second phase of consultation will be undertaken in early spring 2016 when the pipeline route has been further developed. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the project to come along to one of the events to learn more about the project and have a chat with the project team."