Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister stated this is an essential infrastructure project. I recall, when I was a member of Cavan County Council, having discussions about this project, which must have been in 2006 or 2007. We are almost 20 years on and the project has not moved at all. The main reason it has not moved is that the landowners are totally opposed, from my consultation with them, to this going over their land, for a number of reasons that have not yet been addressed. Does the Minister know how many landowners have accepted that EirGrid or a company acting on its behalf can go onto their land and start the construction of this project?

I accept how important the project is for energy supply on the island, but I do not know whether the option of undergrounding has been properly explored. Has it been totally rejected as a possible route to getting this project over the line? We are told 50% of the landowners north of the Border have agreed to a compensation offer, which is from a company separate to EirGrid. Do we know what percentage of landowners on this side of the Border have agreed? If all or most of the land has to be acquired by CPO, we are on a collision course.

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