Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government states that the Government understands the divisions and distress caused in local communities which feel that new energy infrastructure such as pylons are imposed upon them and goes on to stress the importance of "community participation in renewable energy". The greatest litmus test of that will come today. This morning the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland approved planning for the North-South interconnector pylon project, despite Sinn Féin's pledge that it would stop it in the North, while in the South, Fine Gael Ministers said that they would get it put underground. This morning, EirGrid welcomed what it called the clearing of all obstacles and it says it is free to plough on.

Is EirGrid free to plough on and destroy the counties of Meath, Cavan and Monaghan and the proprietary rights of the people in those counties or does the Government's promise to respect local communities mean anything to it? I ask that the Taoiseach please not to tell people that it is vital infrastructure or give us the EirGrid spin about listening. EirGrid does enough spinning itself. Will the Taoiseach intercede on behalf of the ordinary people before this is handed over to ESB Networks for construction this summer?

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