Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will redraft the terms of reference for the review of the north-south interconnector to reflect the wishes of persons in counties Cavan and Monaghan affected and groups (details supplied) as per the Fianna Fáil Dáil Éireann motion which was passed in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29474/17]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to address the fact that his Department's terms of reference for the review of the north-south interconnector have been met with considerable opposition and disappointment from affected communities across counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath. [29882/17]

Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the implementation of the provisions outlined in the Dáil Éireann motion on the north-south interconnector project. [29480/17]

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister and the Deputies to be brief with these questions.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister redraft the terms of reference for the review of the north-south interconnector to reflect the wishes of the persons affected in counties Cavan and Monaghan, as per the Fianna Fáil motion which was passed in 2017?

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 100 and 114 together.

On 19 December 2016, An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the north-south interconnector project in Ireland.

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Stanley is also entitled to speak so perhaps we could keep this brief.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Following the discussions we have had, I have looked at this again. I have told the Deputies about the difficulties I have in complying with the full motion because of the issues regarding An Bord Pleanála. As Minister, I have an overarching duty to respect a decision lawfully made by the bodies, unless lawfully challenged. However, on foot of discussions, I have decided to proceed with a second measure to look at the levels of compensation provided in a European context to land and property owners in the proximity of high voltage power lines. We circulated the terms of reference earlier today to interested Members and it is our intention to go to tender on that. It will take into account the issues that have been raised about distance from power lines, landscape, tourism, heritage etc. I have listened to the concerns of the communities and Members of the Oireachtas and have come up with a study to look at the levels of compensation. We will get it completed as soon as possible, published and laid before the House.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I have read the reaction to the terms of reference from one of the locals in the Monaghan anti-pylon group. They state that this type of study is exactly what they do not want as it obviously is intended to assist EirGrid in benchmarking landowners for compensation for overhead lines in an international context.

The feeling on the ground is that to talk about compensation, for starters, is to use the wrong language. People living in the area are worried about land devaluation, health and landscape. I am sorry to tell the Minister that the publication of a second study and terms of reference discussing compensation gets people's backs up. There is no other way of putting it. They are distraught and worried that it is almost as though the Minister is trying to assist EirGrid in ploughing ahead with its plans and completely ignoring the worries of the local community. Those people are not worried about compensation, they are worried about their health, the devaluation of their land and the area where they have to live for the rest of their lives.

Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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This project has a very poor history. The cost to date is in excess of €30 million and there has not even been a JCB put on site. Compensation deals with one issue. The main issues that have been raised by those affected with Members and councillors from their constituency and nearby constituencies are health and safety, life quality issues and the effects on agriculture, the environment, landscape and tourism. This matter has been gone into in great detail with EirGrid and Department officials through questions and face-to-face meetings over at least the past year of my involvement. I am not convinced that the overhead option should be chosen. All Members know that the North-South interconnector is needed, particularly in view of Brexit and the need to integrate the two economies. All Members know that makes sense. The North badly needs our electricity. We need to stabilise our grid and the larger we make it, the more stabilised it will become, as well as providing another opportunity to feed renewables into the grid. All Members understand that and it has all been explained. Somebody now needs to deal with this issue and steer the project in the right direction.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Deputy Stanley is correct in regard to the need for this grid even before Brexit occurred. The first study to which I agreed on foot of a motion put forward in the House specifically considers whether it is technically feasible for an underground connection to meet the requirements about which the Deputy has spoken. I have been consistently told that it is not possible for an underground connection to meet those requirements. That is being reviewed.

I listened intently to what Members said on the previous occasion this issue was discussed. However, the difficulty is that people want me to listen but are not prepared to listen to the points that I have made. I have gone as far as I can in regard to the terms of reference. I also have to be conscious that there are judicial reviews underway, one of which, in which I am a named party, is due to come before the Commercial Court on 18 July. My intention is to proceed with both studies and publish them as soon as they are available. People also criticised the previous studies and then referenced them once they had been published. One cannot have it every way.