Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The concept that public acceptance must be sought and earned by public bodies before they railroad their way through with an infrastructure project will be alien to the Minister. Experience tells us when you try to do this, you encounter delay after delay and wasted money after wasted money. This is what we have experienced to date. The Minister is simply blind to this fact. I want to see the North-South interconnector proceed. I do not know how many times we need to tell the Minister this before he stops with his disingenuous comment that has become the hallmark of this debate. If the Minister want to see the North-South interconnector proceed, he will have to engage with the local communities.

On whether the North-South interconnector can be undergrounded I ask the Minister not to take my word for it but take the word of the international commission he cited in his initial response. It described the undergrounding of the project as a credible option. I do not know whether it is a pointless exercise but I will appeal again to the Minister to engage with those people who will be affected. Over the coming months, EirGrid will try to enter the lands of people who have told it that they will not let it in. There will be further conflict that will inevitably lead to further delays. Is this what the Minister wants? Is this what he wants his legacy to be or will he now try to ensure we can see this project fulfilled in a way that garners the concept of public acceptance, which is the hallmark of similar projects happening throughout Europe and proceeding much quicker?

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