Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the North-South interconnector project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30279/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister provide an update on the North-South interconnector project?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The North-South interconnector is an essential transmission infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission network between South and North on the island of Ireland, leading to a much more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island, operating in a single electricity market. The project is fully consented in the State and in the North, with full planning permission granted for overhead lines in both jurisdictions. Once complete, the North-South interconnector will facilitate the connection of 900 MW of renewable generation, which is enough to power 600,000 homes. It is an incredibly significant project that is of critical importance to all citizens on the whole island.

In March 2023, the Government noted and published an independent report on the project, which concluded it would not be feasible to run the North-South interconnector underground. That was the third review of the project and it confirmed that the findings of the 2018 report remained valid.

As a transmission project, it is being undertaken by EirGrid, which is independently regulated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, The CRU is accountable to the relevant Oireachtas committee and not to me, as Minister. The Government does not have any role in the delivery of the electricity infrastructure on the ground. In February, EirGrid announced a delay in the completion of the North-South interconnector. Following this, I met with it and set out that this Government supports electricity grid delivery and that the interconnector was central to it. Separately in March, I responded to correspondence from Monaghan County Council setting out the Government's support for this project and I asked the council to engage with EirGrid. My officials and I will continue to work to support the quickest possible delivery of electricity grid projects and the North-South interconnector.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I am firmly of the opinion that this project will never be delivered at the current rate and if the current approach is maintained. I do not say this with any degree of satisfaction. I accept the points made by the Minister in terms of the strategic importance of it and need for it and everything that goes with that but there have been incredible delays. I foresee this continuing because at the root of it is belligerence on the part of EirGrid. I do not believe EirGrid is fit to deliver this project because it is being so belligerent and is ignoring the concerns of communities. The third report contained real criticisms of EirGrid and its approach to a cost-benefit analysis, particularly with regard to carrying out an ENTSO-E cost-benefit analysis in line with those guidelines. EirGrid has never conducted a comparison between overground and underground that holds up to international standards and the local community can see that.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The project should have been delivered by 2030 and now it will not be. The revised date is 2031. We need the interconnector. Work has started in the North subject to challenge there too. Work should start in the South too. There are lessons to be learned. Engagement in some areas has been difficult. I am not going to apportion blame on either side. I have been in the Oireachtas since 2007. I know we have dealt with the east-west interconnector. The North-South interconnector has always a bone of contention in certain areas but if we want more renewables on our grid, if we want a stronger grid and if we want to reduce energy prices for customers on the island of Ireland, this project is needed. The reviews have stated clearly that undergrounding is not an option. It is fully consented in the North and the South. The project should proceed. While there should be more engagement, the project needs to proceed because it is critical.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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We are talking past each other, which has been the difficulty. I am being straight with the Minister. It is my firm belief, as an elected Member who knows these communities, that this project is not going to proceed as currently planned. The only way I see it being delivered is underground. The 2021 review said that in the future, not only qualitative but more quantitative elements and evaluations shall be introduced in the cost-benefit analysis for the assessment of grid investment alternatives as well the operational impact of high voltage alternating current and high voltage direct current electricity cable technologies in line with ENTSO-E cost-benefit analysis guidelines. It specifically stated that EirGrid failed to adequately conduct an international standard cost-benefit analysis of overground versus underground over the full life of the project. The local communities can see that. At every hand's turn, their concerns have not been adequately addressed by EirGrid and they are fundamentally opposed to the plan as is. I do not see it being delivered overground.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I reaffirm everything Deputy O'Rourke said. The statement read by the Minister could have been read by every single Minister for the environment since 2006 when this project was mooted. Since 2006, Minister after Minister has devolved this issue entirely to EirGrid and said it was an operational matter and since 2006, EirGrid has made a mess of this. The Minister said he will not apportion blame. I will apportion blame to the pigheadedness of EirGrid. It is a model exercise in how not to deliver public infrastructure projects because it has failed and refused to engage with communities and the facts as they are developing. I urge the Minister to check what he said in this Dáil about the reports that have been produced because the most substantive of them described undergrounding of the interconnector as a credible option, which is the opposite of what the Minister said here. I encourage the Minister to look at that and revert. The only question I would put to him is whether he will meet the campaigning groups on the ground to get a full sense of the challenges of presenting this project through overhead power lines because it is not going to happen on the current trajectory?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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This is a critical piece of infrastructure for the island. It has gone on for far too long. I remember this as well going way back to 2005. I remember protests in north Dublin about undergrounding coming from Wales into Rush and discussions and arguments around electromagnetic fields. I respect Deputy Carthy's point of view but he did not mention that there are many residents and landowners who have consented-----

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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How many?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Could the Deputy let me answer? There are many residents who have consented. There is a need for further engagement but the reality is that if we go back through a planning process again, we would be talking about 2040. What will have happened then is that we will have less ability to bring more renewables on to our grid and will not have reduced costs for consumers North and South so we need to find a way forward on this. This is fully consented. It has gone through the planning process. I met residents in Monaghan during the previous Dáil.