Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The scale of public opposition to the North-South interconnector project as proposed, with overhead power lines supported by gigantic pylons, cannot be overstated. Most of us in the Chamber are very cognisant of this. Communities throughout the counties of Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Armagh and Tyrone are up in arms about the proposed construction of a sky high wall of 45 m high pylons linked by cables bearing 400 kV of power across their lands and close to their homes. They are right to be incensed. The construction of this overhead power line structure will have devastating consequences, most especially for those immediately impacted on but also for all of us who cherish our relatively unspoiled countryside.

During the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing last year local landowners, residents, campaign groups and political voices from all parties raised concerns about health, house and land prices and the negative impact the development would have on the environment, with calls from across the board for the interconnector to be put underground. Needless to say, the news from An Bord Pleanála in December when it approved the construction of 299 giant pylons across counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan came as a huge blow to campaigning communities across the affected counties which have steadfastly opposed this approach and a blow to all who are rightly offended at the prospect of these monstrous structures across what I have described as our relatively unspoiled countryside.

Owing to time constraints, I will not have the opportunity to make reference to all of my concerns about the proposed overgrounding of the cables. For this reason, I wish to focus on one particular concern that EirGrid, the advocate of the overhead approach, is always eager to dismiss, namely, health. I will focus on one example, in particular. I have been advised of the reality - many Deputies will be aware of the case - faced by one young man whose mother spoke to me a number of months ago. They live in immediate proximity to an existing line of lesser capacity and know the facts. This young man has special needs and is unable to leave the family home to access the periphery of their smallholding because of the continuous crackling from the line and the real effect the line has on his condition. Even in damp weather conditions, there is also occasional flickering. There is a noise factor, even with this significantly lower capacity line which will be replaced, yet no consideration is given to the fact that this young man has a severe level of autism, with all of the complicating factors it entails in terms of his health and that of his family whose fears are real.

It is important to indicate that Sinn Féin absolutely recognises the importance of this infrastructure and the need to strengthen the supply of electricity across the island of Ireland, North and South. Our position has been very clear from the start. From the time the project was first mooted we recognised its importance to the future of the island economy.

However, this project can only be delivered by undergrounding the cable. We have heard the arguments from those who favour the overground pylons approach that the undergrounding is neither affordable nor achievable. The contrary was found in the Oireachtas-commissioned expert report which stated that undergrounding the North-South interconnector was now a realistic solution and due to significant technical developments and a commercial breakthrough of the most recently developed voltage source connector HVDC technology. Furthermore the claim by EirGrid that undergrounding the cable would cost 25 times that of erecting overground pylons was found to be totally incorrect as proven by the Grid25 review strategy document that showed that the cost of undergrounding had reduced to close to 1.5 times the cost of overhead lines. Even that differential has likely been further reduced.

It does not have to be this way and we do not have to gamble with people's lives. Tá bealach i bhfad níos fearr ann. Níl sé ceart nó cóir neamhaird a dhéanamh ar na pobail atá an-bhuartha faoin bplean seo. Mar fhocal scoir, Sinn Féin welcomes this motion and we will be supporting it. I urge Fianna Fáil to stick with its motion and not to buckle and accept he Government amendment. We are committed to continue with our opposition to the overhead pylon approach. We call on the Government and all parties, as well as Independent Dáil and Seanad representatives, to join us in supporting the underground approach that already has the signal support of the overwhelming majority of those directly affected.

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