Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for being present. It is not that often that Ministers appear in the Chamber to answer questions directly. He should not be too intimidated that four Members on this side have all raised the same matter.

The Minister will be aware that this has become a major political issue in three counties. The purpose of our raising it is to establish the Government's approach to it. We are getting conflicting messages from senior Ministers in respect of that approach. At an Oireachtas committee meeting last week, the Minister stated that he does not have a role in directing Eirgrid to do anything, that this matter falls within the company's remit and not his and that it is its responsibility to build a North-South interconnector. He also stated that Eirgrid would also be obliged to undergo the process relating to consultation and planning but that, outside of this, he does not have a role to play.

At the weekend, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, who happens to represent the constituencies concerned, called for the interconnector to be laid underground. He even suggested that he had obtained advice from the National Roads Authority, NRA, on the feasibility of the interconnector being laid underground adjacent to the route of the M3 motorway. A number of weeks ago, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, scoffed at the idea that this item of infrastructure could be laid underground. He dismissed the idea as being far too expensive and stated that it should not be even considered.

Will the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources outline the Government's direction to Eirgrid on this issue? The Fine Gael position is clear. For more than three months we have been stating that a debate should take place following the compilation of an independently commissioned and paid for study. We could at least begin the conversation with credible and independent facts detailing whether it is possible to put a 400 kV line as part of new grid infrastructure underground, overground or partially underground.

I hope the Minister will tonight announce that his Department will sponsor such a study so we can have an informed and educated debate on what is possible.

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