Dr. Tom Ryan:

With regard to the leaks from the cables, two incidents were reported to us - one in 2006 and the other in 2012. One was on an EPA licensed site and we dealt with it in that context. The other was outside a site and the ESB was referred to the local authorities. The onus and obligation for reporting leaks is on the ESB. If they take place in the general environment as most of these did, they are reported to the local authorities. It is for the local authority to take action. The first thing the local authority will be interested in is a site-specific impact assessment and whether any damage was done locally. The ESB has undertaken to do a site-specific assessment in all 68 cases. The work will take some time but it is committed to doing it and will do so on a risk-based schedule that will take into account and give primary focus to leaks that may have occurred in or close to sensitive areas. Additional enforcement action will be a matter for the local authorities if they feel prosecution is warranted. This will be a matter that local authorities will consider first. When it comes to the environmental liability directive, it is for the EPA to take enforcement action if it sees fit. We are just concluding our investigation. We have not concluded on that matter yet.