Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not agree. My experience of EirGrid, having engaged with the company for over 15 years, is that it is absolutely across its brief. It is highly capable, professional and has real expertise in terms of how we develop the transmission system and how we manage this incredibly complex project - this variable supply and demand balancing system. I look at the variety of projects which EirGrid has delivered over the years, including the east-west interconnector. There are projects progressing at the moment right across our transmission system. I refer to the Shaping Our Electricity Future plan. I think the consultation that was done on that is best in class in terms of bringing the public with us, as we discussed earlier. EirGrid has learnt the hard way over the years how to start getting that right. I see the management, executives and board of the company being well placed to do it. It does not have some of the restrictions that some of the State companies have. If I was really focusing on where this crunch issue about resources is, I think it is in getting additional staff to CRU and An Bord Pleanála. Those two organisations are dependent on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform signing off on some of the approvals. If I am really focusing on where I will put my pressure on, it is to get those organisations additional staff, the same way that we staffed up our own Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI.

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