Mr. John McCusker:

Let us get the 50 m myth totally out of our minds. EirGrid has never stated that the minimum distance is 50 m. Its representatives will tell us that they aspire to it being 50 m. I questioned Mr. John Lowery from EirGrid on this in the Granville Hotel in Waterford, when I asked him what was the absolute minimum distance between a pylon or line and a house. He did not give me an answer. I understand it to be 12 m, because of the electrical flashover between a cable and earthing structure like a house. However, EirGrid has never stated a minimum distance, even for the fall distance of a pylon. Pylons and heavy lines were blown over a few weeks ago in England following heavy storms, so one would imagine that at least the fall distance of any line or pylon should be taken into consideration. Let us be clear about this. EirGrid has never stated the minimum distance is between wires and houses. Perhaps its representatives might inform the committee next week, and I would love to hear what that minimum distance is.