Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses. I have a couple of questions. Many people looking in will wonder how we have ended up in a situation in 2021 where we could not get assurances from very senior Ministers last week that we would not have blackouts. I appreciate that we have received some more information today.

I am interested in the relationship with the providers and the lessons they say they have learned in terms of the regulator. They pointed to a number of issues they say have been identified, such as ancillary infrastructure, policy signals and statutory processes. Can the witnesses give an example of what the suppliers are saying in regard to each of those that are an issue? How are they responding? Are they going to the Government?

There is a concern that fossil fuel producers might be telling the regulator they do not like the policy intention of the Government. Will the regulator give some examples of how he is responding to that?

I ask about lessons. An emergency plan initiated between the regulator and EirGrid was scrapped. Separate to that, renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, auctions were due to be annual but did not happen this year. What is the reason for that?

For EirGrid, where are the pressure points in the grid? Is it Dublin or west Dublin in particular? EirGrid indicated that other plants might come down in the weeks ahead. Where are those?

I ask for an update on the North-South interconnector, which is critical infrastructure. There is a judicial review in the North and an ongoing Government-led review in the South. I ask, as I asked last time EirGrid was here, whether the pylons have been procured. If so, are they in the country? Is EirGrid engaging with local authorities? How does EirGrid intend to access land without landowners' agreement?