Dáil debates

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Electricity Infrastructure: Motion [Private Members]

 

8:05 pm

Photo of John BrowneJohn Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on the motion put forward by the Deputy Moynihan on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party. During the past few weeks in Wexford, in particular, numerous public meetings have been called in every parish, and I am sure similar meetings have held in other counties in the south east. I am a long time in this House, probably as long as the Minister, and I have never seen the likes of the turnouts at those meetings, with people attending who never go to public meetings. They filled halls in Ballindigan, Rathnure and New Ross and right across the Wexford constitutency. They all have the one message that EirGrid has caused consternation by its plans to erect 45 m high pylons across County Wexford and they are up in arms about that. Every issue has been raised at the public meetings including the impact in terms of reducing land valuations, the severe impact on tourism, environmental damage to the countryside and concern that scenic views will be destroyed.

The biggest worry of all is the effect the pylons will have on people's health. Despite politicians turning up to meetings and trying to explain the situation, people are very unhappy. They are unhappy with the attitude of EirGrid and feel EirGrid has not communicated with people on the ground. It announces that it will appear at a certain place at a given time but if it is invited to attend a public meeting, it refuses to attend. EirGrid has caused uproar in respect of the erection of pylons whereas the ESB was always able to negotiate and work in conjunction with the local people.

One of the issues is the number of grid lines EirGrid has put down. It is driving neighbour against neighbour and community against community. It has brought all of the communities together because we have the national pylon pressure group, pylon groups in the north east and pylon groups in the south east. They are banding together to work against the EirGrid proposals.

I have expressed concerns to EirGrid, verbally and in writing, that what they are trying to do will not work. People will not accept the idea of huge pylons erected across the countryside, doing particular damage to the environment and the aesthetics and devaluing land. No one seems to be able to give the assurance that this will not cause health problems. A significant body of research has been performed on the health effects of electric and magnetic fields associated with extra high voltage lines. Current scientific data confirm that exposure to electromagnetic fields above a certain percentage will create the risk of leukaemia, particularly in children. The issue has been constantly raised at public meetings. Increasingly, evidence shows it is associated with the increased risk of miscarriage, brain tumours, Alzheimer's disease and motor neuron disease. We are not, as public representatives, able to contradict this. The time has come for the issue to be sidelined for the foreseeable future, to have proper planning and independent international assessment, as Deputy Michael Moynihan called for, of EirGrid's Grid25 proposals for the upgrading of the national grid using overhead pylons. It is important, for both sides of the House, to have an independent assessment. People are very unhappy with the proposal at present.

Perhaps the Minister will outline why the line from Great Island to Meath, from Great Island to Dublin, and from Great Island to Cork, which is 200Kw, cannot be upgraded to meet the requirements EirGrid is talking about. People tell me at public meetings that we will spend a huge amount of money when lines could be upgraded. Most people are asking for undergrounding of the lines. From discussions with personnel on the ground, I know EirGrid deems this too costly. How costly is it if the current plans will affect the environment, tourism, farming and health-related issues? Having these lines underground seems to be the norm in European countries.

I read that the Minister said the underground option will add to the cost of electricity for the ordinary consumer. People tell me that if it adds a few per cent to the cost of electricity, they would rather that than have large pylons with no solutions from EirGrid in respect of health. They would rather pay extra money than have what is planned by EirGrid. This situation is causing major problems across the county and across the country. People seek answers they are unable to get. EirGrid cannot say there will be no health hazard, that it will not damage the environment, or that it will not devalue land. EirGrid provides the general answer that it does not expect these things to happen but, in this day and age in modern Ireland, that answer is not good enough. People seek real answers, real solutions and fairness from EirGrid and from the Government and politicians. They feel they are being sold a pup and asked to accept something that is not in their best interests or their long-term future interests or that of the country. They feel there are questions to be answered. The suggestion put forward by our spokesperson, Deputy Michael Moynihan, calling for an independent, international assessment of EirGrid's Grid25 proposals should be considered by the Minister. It may set back the situation by a few months but in the long term it will be more than worth our while to get the right way forward for production of electricity in this country.

It is not just Members on this side of the House who express concern or alarm at what is happening. Fáilte Ireland has expressed concern at the installation of overhead pylons throughout the country by EirGrid near areas of scenic beauty. Residents in various counties have also been angered by EirGrid due to its lack of proper consultation. Fáilte Ireland is concerned, the people are concerned, the farming community is concerned and the people creating jobs up and down the country are concerned. I accept the Minister has a job to do but we must do what is right by the people and by the country. We need infrastructure, which is important, but people's views, concerns and interests must be listened to and considered. The right decision should be made. Ireland's electricity infrastructure and transmission capability must be modernised and upgraded but it must be done in a way such that people have a say in selecting, can voice their opinions and put forward suggestions. It is not as if people do not put forward suggestions; they made suggestions to put the lines underground and to have an independent assessment of the health issues. A number of ideas on how to deal with this have been made by a number of people from all counties.

I hope the Minister is listening. The Minister had dialogue with Labour backbench Deputies, who are getting the same onslaught from the public as us. I hope the Minister gave them the message that he will examine an independent assessment and put the project on hold until everyone has been consulted and every community has been asked for submissions and suggestions. I hope the Minister will decide to have most of the project underground as the people request.

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