Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It has to be kept on the agenda because it would reduce our reliance on interconnections with the UK. The Minister of State referred to wind farm interconnectors, which were intended to carry the electricity produced by a specific wind farm project, which has now fallen through, directly to the UK. There would be no benefit to the Irish energy economy from that project. It is vital that we have an interconnector with mainland Europe.

The community dividend from the North-South interconnector also has to be considered carefully. The way that project was handled was less than correct. It was a shambles from start to finish. We need a connection with the heart of Europe, and in this regard the interconnector with France must be kept on the agenda at EU level and certainly in Ireland.

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