Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:“acknowledges the Government’s commitment to retain the electricity transmission and distribution networks in public ownership as strategic infrastructure and to ensure they are developed and maintained in the national interest;

recognises that investment in the national grid is vital to ensuring a secure, reliable and safe supply of electricity and is critical to economic recovery;

supports a grid investment strategy that reduces our dependence on imported fossil fuels, helps us create less carbon waste and enables us to reach our 40 per cent renewables targets by 2020;

recognises legitimate concerns about the impact of new transmission lines and other infrastructure on the landscape, the environment and on local communities;

notes the request of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications to extend the period of public consultation;

confirms, as set out in the Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure of the 17th July, 2012, that EirGrid must take account of all relevant national and international standards and follow best practice and that, in particular, grid development must:

- be taken forward on the basis of the best available knowledge and informed consultation and engagement on the impacts and costs of different engineering solutions;

- comply with every applicable national and international standard – on health,environment, biodiversity, landscape and safety;

- be based on the best available advice and expertise and must address and mitigate any human, environmental or landscape impact; and

- be delivered in the most cost efficient and timely way possible;

welcomes the decision to extend the current public consultation to the 7th January, 2014 and, acknowledging that the consultation should proceed without disruption, notes that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources will, after that date, respond on behalf of the Government to the issues raised;

calls on EirGrid:

- to fully engage with potentially affected communities;

- to examine impartially the case for all achievable engineering solutions;

- to undertake and communicate a well-informed, objective and authoritative analysis, impact assessment and pre-planning consultation; and

- to build community gain considerations into its project budgeting and planning; and

encourages the public to participate fully in the consultation process.”

I wish to share time with Deputies Conway, Áine Collins and Hannigan.

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