Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to echo some of the points made by Deputy Humphreys. Following the aborted oral hearing in 2010 EirGrid introduced a new methodology of engagement; it was all about the consultation roadmap. That had not applied in the previous engagement with the people in the communities who were to be affected along the Meath, Cavan, Monaghan corridor. Deputy Humphreys makes an excellent point. It is not a case that can just be argued. Factually, what we are looking at in terms of what Mr. Slye has now presented is different from what had previously presented. The substation at Kingscourt is gone, and if we examine the trajectory as presented in the most recent mapping, it clearly is not reflective of what had been previously considered. We are looking at what may be a common intent in terms of a North-South 400kV interconnector but in terms of what EirGrid is doing and how it is progressing that, it is a different project. The people of the north east are equally entitled to the same engagement as has applied or is to apply in regard to Grid West and Grid Link south. It is very important that we are treated with equality and that our position and concerns are equally respected. I again make the case to Mr. Slye that it is hugely important that that process is reopened for the people of the north east and that that is done as a signalled intent out of today's engagement.

We should make no mistake that we were presented with what is to all intents and purposes a fait accompli in terms of the approach. At no time was there any public engagement as to the overground or underground options; it was this way or no way. We were told we could have our input on the route but at no time have the communities affected been engaged with regarding the real options, and there has never been a costing carried out on the undergrounding of the North-South interconnector. There is no substantive independent international opinion on the actuality of costs to be incurred by an undergrounding approach. It is important that EirGrid has significantly reduced its own evaluation of the comparative costs of overground-underground from anything up to ten or 12 times. It is now down to the international expert commission's view of some three times but it has never factored in, nor did the commission, the potential costs in regard to delays, court challenges, appeals and so on. We should make no mistake that because EirGrid has succeeded where politics has failed for over 90 years in uniting whole communities irrespective of their political differences, I can assure Mr. Slye, without any question, that that is something he should factor in to the real costs that will present in regard to EirGrid's stated intent.