Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

North-South Interconnector: EirGrid

11:30 am

Photo of John O'MahonyJohn O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates. I ask everybody to ensure mobile phones are switched off as they interfere with the transmission of the proceedings. The meeting has to conclude by 2 p.m. at the latest. Apologies have been received from Deputies Patrick O'Donovan and Helen McEntee.

This meeting is being broadcast live on UPC channel 207, eVision channel 504 and Sky channel 574.

The purpose of this meeting is to engage EirGrid in a discussion on the North-South interconnector and certain reports that have recently been published. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the following representatives from EirGrid: Mr. Fintan Slye, chief executive; Ms Rosemary Steen, director of public affairs; Mr. John Fitzgerald, director of grid development; and Mr. Aidan Geoghegan, project manager for the North-South interconnector.

I draw the witnesses' attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are requested to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of today's proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Any submission or opening statement they have submitted to the committee will be published on the committee website subsequent to the meeting. I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite Mr. Slye to make his opening statement.

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