Ms Martina Hennessy:

EirGrid will be part of that delivery task force. Part of the work will be to address the Deputy's point to ensure there is clear alignment between what is happening in the planning system, the auctions and so on and the grid and to make sure all the timelines stack up.

Regarding cost, a work stream is underway to look at the longer-term economic model. While my colleague spoke about the auctions in the short term, we recognise that to develop offshore beyond 2030, an economic analysis needs to be undertaken given that we are not as readily connected to the European Continent as other countries so there needs to be a clear pathway for how we can build and make best use of our offshore capability so that analysis has been initiated as well.