Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from EirGrid for coming this morning and apologise for the fact that I was unable to attend the previous meeting. The fact that EirGrid has not been progressing with overhead power lines for the Grid Link or Grid West projects is viewed by myself and entire communities with amazement, bemusement and disgust at what seems to be a complete U-turn. I speak for the people of County Meath who are reasonable, fair, very hard-working and progressive. Our county has changed dramatically in the last 20 years and we are realistic. We realise that change and development is necessary. However, people should be treated with a little respect. After eight years of public concerns and genuine fears being expressed, EirGrid has completely ignored the north east.

One of the first meetings I held when I became a Deputy two and a half years ago was attended by EirGrid and the North East Pylon Pressure, NEPP, group. Members of that group probably feel that they are in a time machine because EirGrid has simply dusted off its original plan. Apart from changing the height of the pylons, I would say that not even a comma has been removed from the initial plan that was put forward. EirGrid launched a document recently entitled Your Grid, Your Views, Your Tomorrow, upgrading Grid 25. It is a nice, shiny new document but there is nothing new in it in the context of the North-South interconnector, while Grid Link and Grid West are afforded other options, including underground lines. EirGrid has never afforded the people of Meath, Cavan or Monaghan the same options. The witnesses are before this committee today to discuss EirGrid's new, innovative plans but they will have to forgive me for not jumping for joy or doing cartwheels when the people of Meath have never been given other options. I do not know if the witnesses have met many people from Castletown, Carlanstown or Kilmainhamwood. If they have watched any football games involving the county, they will know that the people of Meath do not roll over. We have not been treated fairly but we expect to be. I need to say that because this has gone on for so long and people have not been treated fairly.

I have a number of questions for the witnesses. They said that Grid 25 was designed to ensure that the electricity grid will continue to support the Celtic tiger economy but that the last five years have changed that reality. For the past four years, EirGrid has continuously stated that there was an absolute requirement to achieve the Grid Link project, involving the erection of 750 pylons. Yet, in the space of one year, the company has managed to do a complete U-turn. A planning application, identical to the one that was lodged five years ago was lodged with An Bord Pleanála this year for the North-South interconnector. That does not reflect the opening statement or the changed environment to which the witnesses have referred. Why is that the case?

The witnesses spoke about new, innovative options but many would disagree with the assertion that the strategy for Grid Link is either new or innovative. Why have new options not been put forward for North-South interconnector? Why has nothing else been put forward? Why are there no regional options for the north-east region? The witnesses cannot tell me that there are no other options; there are definitely other options.

The witnesses also spoke about the cost effectiveness of the new project and that it would cost hundreds of millions of euro were the company to go ahead with the underground option. Surely if hundreds of millions of euro will be saved, which is what the opening statement implies, then that money could be redirected and used for the undergrounding of the North-South interconnector because we now know that this is possible.

Finally, the witnesses referred to open engagement and inclusive consultation with local communities on all practical technological options but I would argue that EirGrid has not engaged with the people of north Meath. It has not been able to provide a detailed costing for undergrounding because its representatives have not been let onto the land. If the company has not been on the land, how can it carry out the study that would be needed in order to put forward an accurate assessment?