Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There was a broad range of experience on the evaluation panel. For example, members from An Bord Pleanála and current and retired members of different groups such as the CER, the Departments of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment, Community and Local Government, the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland, the EPA, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, Geological Survey of Ireland and the HSE. A comprehensive team of individuals made up the evaluation group to decide which company would be in a position to lead a combined grouping of individuals, groups and experts. While CDM Smith is the company appointed, there is a broad church in terms of the team. The team includes the British Geological Survey, UCD, Ulster University, Queens University Belfast and AMEC Foster Wheeler and Philip Lee. It is a team effort and there is a term of reference. That term of reference changed during the consultation process and the revised term of reference is the term under which the team must work on behalf of Ireland.

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