Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will become a net exporter of electricity to Northern Ireland and our surplus will be exported as more and more power plants come on stream. It is clear from Mr. Blaney's answer to Deputy Moynihan's question that, as sure as there is a sun in the sky, consumers will not benefit from all this additional capacity in Ireland. Even with the lower cost of coal and oil, consumers have not benefited because electricity producers say they buy 18 months in advance of a kettle in Limerick or elsewhere being plugged in. They say they bought oil at a peak 18 months ago and that consumers will have to wait 18 months to get a reduction in their electricity prices. Mr. Blaney's office should press them on this but pigs will fly before it happens.

Ireland could produce enough electricity for the entire European Union but the bill coming in the door will never go down and that is what the consumer is interested in. Let us be realistic. It will not go down because there will be some excuse about buying coal in an expensive commodities market, shipping costs going up or a new health and safety measure. The only thing I am interested in is how much the electricity bill for consumers will be, whether it comes from the ESB, Airtricity or anybody else. We are exporting electricity to the United Kingdom and we may well export it to France when it builds a cable under St. George's Channel. We can put a cable between France and Wexford but cannot put one between Meath and Tyrone.

I know the difference between AC and DC but most householders do not give a hoot about them - they think they refer to a band from the 1980s. They are also interested in whether they will have to look upon structures that are a blight on the landscape, whether it will benefit the local economy and whether the bill coming in the door will be any less. Mr. Blaney knows as well as I do that that is not going to happen. No matter how much extra capacity is produced and exported to the United Kingdom, ultimately the consumer in Ireland will not be better off in any way. The only thing they will have is a monstrosity crossing 50 or 60 miles from Meath to the Border where it will go underground. It is absolutely bizarre that the benefit will be felt where the cable goes underground.