Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

Deputy English is giving way to Deputy McEntee.

I wish to thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me and my Oireachtas colleagues to raise the extremely important issue of the 400 kV Meath-Tyrone interconnector passing through Cavan-Monaghan. We want to know where the Minister stands on this issue given that EirGrid withdrew its application on 29 June due to misinformation that was put on the planning notice, and possibly on other issues.

Community groups and individuals made a great voluntary effort to brief themselves on the planning laws and how this application would affect their homes and communities. They collected significant moneys in their communities and this has been spent on costs of legal and other experts whom they had to pay. I urge the Minister to ensure that these groups are reimbursed their out-of-pocket expenses in light of the fact that EirGrid withdrew the application.

Under the relevant section of the relevant legislation, section 182, the cost does not have to be reimbursed in a Bord Pleanála case for electricity or gas lines. On EirGrid's own admission, however, the application in this instance was faulty, in which context the circumstances are totally different.

Under ordinary planning laws, a plan would be examined and validated by the planning authorities before acceptance. However, no such requirement exists regarding An Bord Pleanála, which is unfair. It is also unfair that a differentiation should be made between an interconnector and a road structure. Section 182 must be changed as it is unconstitutional and unfair under EU law.

Can the Minister of State advise when the planning structures will be put in place in Northern Ireland? If there is a public hearing, it could take up to six or seven years. Does the Minister of State not agree that, in the present economic circumstances, the scheme should be put on hold until the legal issues are sorted out and until more research is done regarding underground cabling, which is becoming more possible technically by the day.

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