Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to make a brief point to Mr. Carroll. I appreciate that EirGrid is examining the logistics. Naturally, it must be concerned about the integrity of the system, but time is of the essence for some projects. It is a speculative business. Many developers have already trumped up money and need to know where they stand. There must be a specific focus. For example, they hope that construction of grid west will be completed by 2019, which is just shy of 2020. Given the way that the planning process in this country works, this target might not be achieved. We need to have a few plan Bs if we are to allow the industry and the requisite wind farms to develop, particularly in my neck of the woods. The industry needs to be developed sooner rather than later. We need to sweat the capacity on the existing grid to allow those who have already invested a great deal of money to proceed.