Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

I am grateful to Deputy Damien English for raising this important issue. The Meath-Tyrone transmission line has been in development since 2006 and has been marked by considerable local controversy, as Deputy English has noted. In line with the programme for Government, I appointed an independent international commission last year to review the case for, and cost of, placing all or part of the project underground. I received the commission report in January and forwarded it to the Oireachtas committee for debate and consultation. The committee heard from all stakeholders, including local residents' groups, and published its report on 15 June.

The commission's report is not prescriptive and does not recommend any particular option. In assessing technology options, the commission considers that a new HVDC underground cable would be a feasible solution, while estimating that the cost could be approximately three times as much as the overhead option, costs that would be borne by electricity consumers. I note that EirGrid does not agree that placing the connector underground is appropriate for the North-South project on the grounds of both technical feasibility and cost. The Oireachtas committee's report does not make definitive conclusions on the costs or technical feasibility of placing underground the North-South line. It notes the differing views and also outlines some concerns about the new HVDC technology.

The Government wishes to have policy certainty on the strategic and economic importance of developing infrastructure such as the proposed North-South transmission line. Accordingly, following the reports of the expert commission and the Oireachtas committee, the Government this week considered a comprehensive memorandum dealing with the strategic importance of transmission and other energy infrastructure. The Government approved a statement of policy on the matter, which I am publishing on the Department's website today. An Bord Pleanála will be required to have due regard to the policy objectives set out in this statement of Government policy.

In the statement, the Government reaffirms the imperative need to develop and renew our energy networks to meet both economic and social policy goals. The planning process provides the necessary framework to ensure necessary standards are met and comprehensive consultation is built into the process. The Government acknowledges the need for social acceptance and the need to build community gain into project planning and budgeting. The Government mandates the network companies to plan their developments safely, efficiently and economically. They are also required to address and mitigate human, environmental and landscape impacts.

The Government does not direct infrastructure developers to particular sites routes or technologies but it endorses, supports and promotes the strategic programmes of energy infrastructure providers, particularly EirGrid's Grid 25 investment programme. It is Government policy and in the national interest, not least in the current economic circumstances, that these investment programmes are delivered in the most cost-efficient and timely way possible, on the basis of the best available knowledge and informed engagement on the impacts and the costs of different engineering solutions.

On the Meath-Tyrone transmission line, I have advised my Government colleagues that it is now an operational matter for EirGrid to complete preparations for re-submitting a planning application to An Bord Pleanála, taking appropriate account of the reports of the commission and the committee. It will be a matter for An Bord Pleanála to address all relevant factors in arriving at a final decision, including the Government's policy statement.

I fully agree with the Oireachtas committee that EirGrid must respect the need for early, ongoing, informed and transparent engagement with stakeholders and local communities in progressing its planning application, and I have made this view plain to EirGrid.

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