Mr. Paul Mulvaney:

Both compounds are readily biodegradable and certified to OECD standard 301D. A document is being circulated to members with pictures of four types of fluid filled cable. All cables have the same components: copper as a conductor - that is what carries the electrical power; an insulator which stops the power from escaping the conductor; an earth sheath around the outside to ensure the cable operates safely; and another covering which forms a protective outer layer. In the illustration provided for members in the top left hand diagram the fluid passes through the centre of the conductor and the insulating medium is paper on the outside of the copper, but the fluid seeps into the paper and it is the combination of the fluid and the paper which provides the isolation. The image on the top right hand side shows a different construction. It is a three-phase cable. The fluid passes through the copper pipe on the outside of the cable. The image on the lower left hand side shows a different construction again. The fluid is not in separate ducts and the cable is immersed in it. The diagram on the bottom right hand side is of the modern cable. Plastic is used. No fluid is used as an insulating medium. Our new cable is of this XLPE construction and there is no need for fluid. Our network has 25,000 km of cable, of which less than 1% is fluid filled. The cables were installed largely between the 1950s and 1970s. The last of it was installed in 1989. It is a technology which has been moved away from across the world, but all large cities have legacy cables that are managed. There are also leakages which they also must manage. It is not an issue which is unique to Ireland.