Please see: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1106/1225893546964.html 

Article written by Tim OBrien and published in the Irish Times Article on 6Nov2008

"Geothermal could provide 15% of Dublin's Heat"  

Reporting from the Geothermal Association's Conference on 5 November 2008 "Geothermal Resources in Ireland - Commercial Opportunities"

Summary. See full version at http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1106/1225893546964.html  

• AS MUCH as 15 per cent of Dublin's hot water and heating could be provided by geothermal energy within the next five to seven years
• Early results of testing at Newcastle in southwest Dublin showed 10,000 homes in that area could benefit from a geothermal system extracting heat from 4,000m to 5,000m below ground.
• The method of securing geothermal energy involves hot water being pumped to the earth's surface and circulated through a district heating system to each home or business within the locality. The water is then returned to the ground through another bore hole.
• News of the testing was welcomed by Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan, who said the Government would "iron out" any difficulties in the way of renewable energy. He said geothermal energy "offers huge potential for Ireland to minimise our massive fossil fuel bill, where we unnecessarily send money abroad for energy we should be developing at home"