Mr. Fintan Slye:

I will begin with Deputy Ann Phelan's questions. She asked about the consultation process. She referred to Deputy Michelle Mulherin's contribution and the analysis of placing lines underground as opposed to overground. This is one of the themes emerging from the meeting, communities and the ongoing consultation process. It was also raised during the Dáil debate yesterday evening. We need to reflect on the issue and work out how to provide the information for the public and communities in an objective, understandable and balanced way. Once the consultation process has concluded, we will reflect on the issues raised and address that concern. The consultation process is ongoing and was extended at the request of the committee. We need to hear people's views. As I said, we will be happy to come back at the conclusion of the process to articulate the changes we plan to make. It is hoped it will be a conversation about the positive changes that will have come about from a difficult consultation process as a result of the feedback received from the committee and through the various channels used in the process.

Deputy Ann Phelan specifically asked about County Carlow and the sugar beet project. The infrastructure being constructed across all of the projects will reinforce the grid and improve its ability to support industry. On the question of the most appropriate way to connect a specific project such as looping into one of the lines under construction or running it from an existing sub-station which has been reinforced by the new infrastructure, it would depend on the economics of the project. I would be happy to discuss the specific case with the Deputy in an offline setting. This infrastructure reinforces and improves the grid and its ability to support new demand. By way of context, there are 19 customers around the country who are connected directly with the transmission system. They tend to be very large users of electricity or for whom a high quality supply is particularly important. Otherwise, people tend to rely on the grid to provide power through the distribution system. I am not sure if that answers the Deputy's question.