Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I thank my colleague Deputy English and all my colleagues in the north east for the opportunity to speak on this matter.

I want to make a few basic points on the recent embarrassing withdrawal by EirGrid of its planning application for the Meath-Tyrone interconnector project. I live in the heart of the north east where serious stress and anxiety have been visited on many constituents on foot of EirGrid's proposal. There are a number of lessons that need to be learned from the sorry state of affairs brought about by EirGrid's performance and actions at the oral hearing into its planning submission.

An issue arises regarding respect for the integrity of the public consultation process, which is a central pillar of our democracy. Three years ago, EirGrid announced its intention to place over 100 km of extra-high-voltage lines and over 300 massive pylons across the region. The public responded by engaging fully in the democratic process of public consultation. It formed local representative groups, such as NEPP and others, and met elected representatives. They made submissions at joint Oireachtas committee hearings, met EirGrid and even went abroad to meet other transmission system operators. The people of the north east raised significant funds to examine acceptable alternatives, especially the undergrounding of the cables. They have never resorted to any activities other than those associated with dialogue and persuasion, based on well-researched evidence. They have participated fully with the oral hearing process and have at all times behaved in a respectful and professional manner.

The groups were met by a semi-State company that has shown total disregard for its duties and its responsibility to the very public it is charged with serving. It is unacceptable that EirGrid, which through the taxpayer had access to unlimited resources and consultant expertise, could have been allowed to submit such a shoddy application, withdraw it whenever it suited and then walk away with no apparent accountability or penalties. This is an injustice to the people of the north east, an injustice which we as elected representatives cannot ignore, nor can we stand idly by. EirGrid may or may not have a statutory obligation to reimburse the public participants and voluntary groups for their reasonable costs, but it certainly has a moral obligation to do so. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, has an even greater responsibility to ensure they are reimbursed. Ignoring the issue will only serve to alienate the public even further from the democratic process and will harden their resolve in vigorously opposing the project. EirGrid has lost all credibility in the eyes of the people of the north east. Let us not join it by sitting on our hands.

The second lesson we need to learn is that the oral hearing has shown yet again that undergrounding cables is a practical, win-win solution for all concerned. However, EirGrid has remained steadfastly opposed to examining this option properly. There is deep frustration in rural communities that EirGrid can ignore this alternative without any accountability. In contrast with other countries, we have not been subjected to a blight of pylons across our countryside and we should not allow it to occur. When established, they impose significant negative effects in terms of visual and environmental impact, land and property devaluation and health and safety concerns. This clear fact is neither addressed by EirGrid nor factored into its project cost estimates.

I call on the Minister to compel EirGrid to return to the drawing board, rid itself of its inherited bias towards pylons and get real about addressing the practical option of undergrounding. I understand there are technical challenges around this option, but technology moves quickly and we need to move with it rather than against it. For EirGrid to submit a patched up version of its original planning application would waste taxpayers' resources further because it would be a futile exercise.

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