Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Public confidence has already been seriously undermined. There is concern that EirGid will drive on, irrespective of the concerns being expressed. This will meet huge resistance and add to the cost of the project. At the very least, the public deserves a full cost-benefit analysis of the underground option to be put on the table, with all the facts and figures, in an open and transparent way in order that it can be debated. That would show whether it was technically possible. Let us decide that issue first. Then let us decide if it would be feasible. What is being presented consists of broad generalities and it is not convincing the public. That is unacceptable. There is already a public highway running east to west in County Waterford, the N25, which also runs north to Kildare. This is an option as a route for underground cabling. I need to know whether that would be a viable option but no figures have been presented, except a €500 billion cost for overhead lines, with no specific details. We need more.

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