Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish Ms Graham well in her new position. I am not the learned friend of my colleague here, but I spent in excess of 30 years in the ESB. The organisation has come a long way. In my young days it was a success to get somebody to sign up to take electricity supply for nothing - people for generations had done without electricity and they did not want it.

We have come a long way. I would also like to acknowledge the reintroduction of the ESB apprenticeship scheme. I am familiar with business people who started out as apprentices in the ESB and are now, as a result of the experience they gained in that regard, running successful businesses in various parts of this country and the world. The ESB has been a great employer. During the weather conditions which we experienced last night and the night before, many of my former colleagues were out risking their lives working on poles of up to 35 ft. high while trying to reconnect electricity supplies.

The North-South interconnector project is a huge problem for the communities of Meath, Monaghan and, in particular, Cavan. I am sure Ms Graham is aware that it is proposed to replace the existing 275kV North-South interconnector with a 440kV interconnector. I do not expect Ms Graham to be able to respond to my question but perhaps she would put to the board the question of whether the existing infrastructure can be used to increase the power or if it would be possible to run a 220kV interconnector underground in parallel with the existing one, such that nothing would change in terms of the current overhead infrastructure. I would like to know the cost of running an overhead 440kV interconnector in place of the existing one. In my humble opinion, and based on my little knowledge of this area, it is possible to run an underground 220kV interconnector in parallel with the current infrastructure and thus satisfy demand. I realise, perhaps more than others, the importance of interconnection in times of demand but I would like to know if what I have proposed is possible and the likely cost in that regard. Many communities and parishes in Cavan-Monaghan and Meath are divided on this issue. Farming families are being compensated for allowing these pylons on their land and this is leading to division among families. Perhaps Ms Graham would put that proposal to the board and communicate with the committee as soon as possible on whether it is feasible. I wish Ms Graham every success.