With many farmers attending the National Ploughing Championships this week, Gas Networks Ireland is using the event to put gas pipeline safety firmly on the agenda, urging farmers and landowners to ‘Dial Before You Dig,’ before carrying out work that involves excavation.
The call comes as new figures show that, in Cork alone during 2025, 10 instances of potentially unsafe activity near gas transmission pipelines were recorded, with a further 4 incidents recorded so far in 2026. There were also 86 accidental third-party hits to gas distribution pipelines in the county during 2025.
While distribution pipelines operate at lower pressures than the transmission network, damage to underground gas infrastructure can still have serious consequences.
Cork has almost 2,000 kilometres of gas pipeline running through the city and county, with around 90,000 homes and businesses connected to the gas network and gas transmission pipelines running through the land of 735 landowners and farmers.
Gas transmission pipelines are the “motorways” of the gas network transporting large volumes of gas over long distances. Ireland has several thousand kilometres of gas transmission pipelines crossing the lands of over 5,000 landowners. These pipes are wide in diameter – often up to a meter, operate at very high pressures – up to 85 bar, and typically run cross-country.
In other area counties during 2025, Limerick saw 9 instances of potentially unsafe activity near gas transmission pipelines, with a further 4 incidents recorded between this year so far; Tipperary saw 3 instances of potentially unsafe activity, with 15 accidental third-party hits – there have been no recorded incidents in 2026 to date; while in Waterford, 3 instances were recorded during 2025, with none to date in 2026.
The figures highlight the importance of checking what lies underground before starting work, particularly in rural areas where gas transmission1 pipelines can cross farmland.
MORE FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS ARE CHECKING
For farmers and landowners, activities such as ditch clearing, drainage work, excavation, fencing and other groundworks can bring machinery close to underground infrastructure. Checking the location of gas pipelines before work begins is an important step in keeping people safe and protecting the gas network.
Gas Networks Ireland’s Dial Before You Dig service provides information, advice and maps on the gas pipeline network. If you’re planning or undertaking any excavation work, it is essential to check for the location of gas pipes by calling 1800 42 77 47, emailing dig@gasnetworks.ie or registering for a Dial Before You Dig Online account at www.gasnetworks.ie/dial
In 2025 over 37,000 requests were made nationwide to the service – an increase of almost 40% on 2024.
