Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and this Bill. Sections 3 and 4, which were mentioned by previous speakers, provide that employees of the ESB, whose employment was transferred to Eirgrid, will have their previous superannuation contributions transferred to Eirgrid. The same applies in the case of Bord Gáis Éireann and Gaslink. These decisions are right.

Our future energy needs are of grave concern to me. Alternative energy is paramount for the future of this country, to maintain sustainable jobs and to keep our energy costs at a competitive level in a European context. Is the future wind, wave or bio-mass? It will require much more debate between all parties.

We should have a policy on the placing main transmission lines underground, or on underground versus overhead. I was an employee of the ESB so I am familiar with the difference in cost between underground and overhead lines, and the question of interconnection and transmission lines. It is interesting to look at wealthy industrial countries like Germany. Last week, I was watching a television programme on the Middle East where the only obstacle to underground lines is sand, but the costs are astronomical for overhead 220 kV and 440 kV lines. We should have a policy because otherwise it all adds up to delays. Whether it concerns sea, mountains or scenic areas we must have a concrete policy. We must listen to objectors but the delays caused are unbelievable.

In 1927, the pioneers and visionaries of Ardnacrusha achieved the greatest engineering feat of the last century in Ireland. Would it happen today or would there be vociferous objections? In the late 1960s and early 1970s it was my job to get people to sign the application forms to take electricity, which was an achievement. One's success was measured on a Friday evening by the number of people one had convinced to take the electric power supply. I recall one specific instance when I went to a house in County Monaghan to try to convince the owners to connect to the electricity supply. He looked at her and she looked at him, and he said, "My father and grandfather and all before them did without it, and it is a thatched cottage." The bullet point was that she decided they would sign up for one light in the kitchen, and he said, "Won't it be very handy to switch it on to find the Tilly lamp?" We have surely come a long way since then when we are now talking about alternative energy supplies.

There should be a consultation process with all parties concerned, including communications between ourselves, as elected representatives, and the relevant Departments. I am not convinced there are health issues, as some people claim. I hold no brief for anyone at this stage, but I am not convinced in that regard. We are obligated to adhere to the World Health Organisation's guidelines, and we are way below the WHO's required limits.

I cannot overemphasise the dangers of trying to by-pass electricity meters because people are unaware of the significant dangers to life and limb. I have seen it happen. The Minister referred to meter measuring, but the secret is to measure from the beginning. If it is left for 12 months the consumption figures can go down and we may not know why that has happened.

The importance of the interconnector was mentioned last week, although the Minister was not present. It is of paramount importance that we are part of the European grid. There must be in-depth discussions and further meetings so that all sides are heard. In addition, we need assurances that we can proceed.

Earlier, I mentioned the case of signing up for one light in the kitchen 40 years ago. I have since gone back to that farm and one would not believe how modern it is now, although the two elderly people are no longer there. We must provide for the future, although we do not know what the situation will be in 40 years' time.