Bord Gβis has welcomed the announcement of new gas transmission tariffs, although they will yield a lower rate of return than previously. "We always saw Bord Gβis as being one of the front-runners in promoting competition and this is what this will do," a company spokeswoman said yesterday.

"Obviously we would like the higher figure, but recognise the market reality within which these decisions are taken at the moment."

The Minister for State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, had announced the present single overall transmission charge would be divided into separate charges for onshore pipelines and for entry points to the Irish network.

The new charges to users mean an increase in gas costs of around 1.7 per cent for power stations and around 2 per cent for large industrial consumers over this year and next year.