Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Is ceist an-tábhachtach í do mhuintir na tíre agus dá Dháilcheantar féin. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I suspect there may be some people in the House who are not as aware of the private wires issue as Deputy Heneghan is. It is always good - he has spoken to me before about this - to have voices of experience here. For the benefit of those who understandably may not be aware of this, private wires refer to private individuals or undertakings running their own electricity cables in order to transfer electricity from one site to another. Private wires are separate from the national electricity grid.

I want the Deputy to know that the Government has prioritised increased investment in our grid and expanding our energy generation with a particular priority on renewable energy sources. The Department of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, published a set of guiding principles for the development of a policy on private wires, as I know the Deputy is aware. Alongside the guiding principles, a summary report of the private wires public consultation and an appendix setting out all responses received were also published. The principles themselves, while not making immediate changes, are there to guide any changes which are to come and to provide guidance to the public and industry as to the direction of travel in respect of this key area, while reiterating the central role the national electricity grid will continue to play in the electricity system.

Developing a fulsome private wires policy is a priority for this Government, and the Deputy will know that the programme for Government committed to expediting the delivery of this policy. The private wires policy will aim to unlock private sector resources - we need private sector resources in this - to build new electricity infrastructure by expanding the rights of private undertakings to connect supply directly with demand. The intention is that by allowing private wires, accelerated investment in new electricity infrastructure, to include renewable generation and storage, will be seen, which will ultimately benefit the whole electricity system.

As the Deputy is aware, this is technically a very complicated area. There is a range of potential options available to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I understand from talking to the Minister that he intends to bring a policy statement to the Government in advance of the recess. As the Deputy also knows, and he has put forward his own proposals, legislative change will be required. Subject to approval by the Government, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will set out the next steps to give effect to policy changes. It is a big, complicated, technical area, but I want the Deputy to know that it is in the programme for Government and the Minister is committed to bringing forward the change that the Deputy seeks and that will unquestionably be of huge benefit to the people of Ireland and indeed his constituency.

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