Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday the incoming chairman of EirGrid said he would not want to live beside a pylon and asked who would. We did not get an answer from him on how close is close. He said "maybe" 50 metres. "Maybe" is not the best word to use when trying to reassure someone. I advise Mr. Slye to read the Official Report of yesterday’s proceedings. I am disappointed that he has not already done so. If the incoming chairman is not comfortable with what EirGrid plans to do, what is the minimum distance at which Mr. Slye would site a pylon? If something does go wrong will EirGrid indemnify the people of Ireland against any potential damage? When Mr. Slye says that it is three times more expensive to go underground than overground, is that after the route has been decided? The incoming chairman did not answer this question yesterday. Surely before EirGrid decides on a route it decides whether it is going underground or overground? If it is going overground surely it would prefer fairly flat ground, whereas if it is going underground it would want ground that is easier to excavate. The figure seems to change every day but the latest figure that Mr. Slye has come up with is that it is three times more expensive, when EirGrid has already chosen the route that is completely unsuitable for going underground. When did EirGrid decide that it was three times more expensive?

I am not the slightest bit shocked at what Mr. Slye says about commercial sensitivity. This has been said to me several times, whether about Coillte or Roscommon County Council. The only thing that surprises me is that a Government Deputy has a problem with it because I never see any of them rowing in behind me when I say that it is ridiculous that commercial sensitivity should be used as a cloak to cover up for something, when our job is to get this information and bring it back to the public. I am delighted to see a Fine Gael Deputy who is upset about commercial sensitivity. I hope they will be consistent across the board because before today that was not the case.