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

The report that was published, as I understand it, has options for undergrounding and made clear that Grid West and Grid South can be undergrounded. Why can this not be done with the North-South interconnector? This has been a huge bone of contention, particularly in Cavan, Monaghan and Meath in recent years.

Last week representatives from EirGrid appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. The Minister gave the line that there are technical solutions to each project. However, speaking on the record of the committee they clearly confirmed that it was technically possible to underground the cables on the North-South interconnector.

This is the first time EirGrid has acknowledged that it is technically possible. It previously held to the view that it was technically impossible but now that it has accepted that it is possible to underground the cables, why does the Government not seek to put them underground? It has become a massive source of contention and if we accept the necessity of the project, the only option is the underground one.

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