Mr. Nicholas Tarrant:

We do not plan them. EirGrid has a strategy document called Shaping our Electricity Future that outlines different options for developing the transmission system and one option is to site large demands near parts of the network where it is stronger. The fundamental issue with bringing onshore offshore wind is that there would need to be huge investment onshore to reinforce the existing onshore transmission network as well as bring the projects onshore. It is a matter for the Government to decide no matter whether it is an industrial policy or a business-related policy for data centres. Our role in networks, if the Government policy is to connect these projects, is to get them connected and then make sure that we have the infrastructure to meet the demands placed on the network.