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

The future for our country, our Continent and the wider world will be electrification, with electricity replacing fossil fuels. That is where the new economy and the industrial revolution are taking place, and that is central to our security, both economic and environmental. The characteristics of that new network will involve certain locations where there are high-speed, long-distance international transmission connections, and we are building those first as DC. However, it will also be critical for any country, any community and any region that it is also part of a balancing, alternating current, local grid electricity system that gives the capability to both bring in the various power supplies we have and provide power to households, businesses, farms and communities in a secure, safe and economic manner.

After 20 years of analysis, and after I do not know how many international reports looking at the options, each of which has come to the same conclusion, I believe it is time for us to progress this, in the interests of the community, particularly in the Border region, and of an all-island energy system. The key word here is that this is a “backbone”. It is not an insignificant piece of infrastructure. It is critical if this country is to have a functioning electricity system, one that can be balanced, repaired and restored and that delivers the secure electricity that we need for our future.

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