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

EirGrid’s Grid25 national transmission grid development programme is vital for future socioeconomic progress in Ireland, regional development and to ensure consumers have access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy.

During the course of engagement by EirGrid in its recent public consultation processes a number of key concerns emerged. I have put in place a number of measures to deal with the immediate concerns related to the Grid West and Grid Link projects, while also addressing the generality of commentary on the need to improve stakeholder and community engagement on all future Grid25 projects. I have appointed an independent panel of experts, chaired by Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness, to examine the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The panel of experts will decide the terms of reference for comprehensive, route-specific studies of full underground and overhead options for both projects. The panel has been asked to ensure the studies are complete, impartial, objective and comparable and will submit a report to me on these matters in due course. The two studies will consider environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors. The overhead and underground options will be published side by side in objective and comparable terms before consideration is given by EirGrid to the appropriate next steps for each of the projects. The panel has also been asked to consider what, if anything, it can do with regard to the North-South transmission line project. The panel has commenced its deliberations and I understand it expects to be in a position to announce the terms of reference for the Grid Link and Grid West transmission line projects soon.

EirGrid published an interim report on the emerging themes from the Grid Link project consultation on 28 January. A copy of this report is available on EirGrid's website. All of the submissions which EirGrid received on the project are being examined by the EirGrid project team. I understand once a thorough and detailed examination of all the submissions has been completed, a report will be published on the project website and EirGrid will respond to all correspondence as quickly as possible.

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