Ms Karen Trant:

I have worked in that area. Our role with regard to safety is public safety risks, not occupational health and safety. There is a distinction. That would sit with the relevant authority, which would be the HSA. ESB Networks would report to the HSA as an employer. On the gas and petroleum sides, we have a specific safety function for public risk that is enshrined in legislation. There is a lengthy provision of the 1999 Act that sets out our functions, enforcement powers and so forth and we have a well developed framework to allow us to do that. When talking about the environmental aspects with regard to ESB Networks, we do not have the same enforcement powers or the same expertise that the EPA or the local authority have to monitor that, but we have an interest and we take it into consideration. As Dr. McGowan said, when we take it into consideration we allow the utilities the money to make sure they meet their environmental obligations.

By contrast, there is our safety role in respect of gas. We keep environmental experts on retainer who would review EIAs and other environmental assessments that Gas Networks Ireland would carry out before it lays a gas pipe. We review that to ensure it is in line with environmental obligations. Again, however, that is a function and power we have under legislation.