David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I am sorry that it was not possible to harmonise the two views. The motion tabled by Senator Mullen seems fairly innocuous to me. I do not mean innocuous in the sense that the motion is unimportant. It does not damage the Government bar one exception, namely, the phrase "where physically possible." There might be some negotiation on that wording because it states a particular restriction. The first part of his motion seems reasonable and states:

That Seanad Éireann calls on the Government to introduce legislation to regulate the construction and siting of and associated matters connected with high voltage electricity transmission lines in Ireland.

Who could possibly disagree with those words?

May I also say that we are in the lucky position that exploration is only beginning here. We have the very controversial Corrib gas field where everything has been sold, as far as I can see, to Shell Oil. The Barryroe site now looks rather exciting and there are a number of other locations. We may in fact be in quite an advantageous position with regard to energy.

It is also a very welcome sign that we are talking about energy in terms of European wide electricity co-operation. I well remember the days when the provos took particular delight in blowing up the electricity interconnector operating between the Republic and Northern Ireland. It reached the point where their acts prevented developments taking place.

Energy must be seen in context. It is my understanding that wind farms are being developed but they were strongly opposed for a variety of reasons. It was partly aesthetic, partly concerns about health and partly concerns about noise. It was claimed that children or people with Alzheimer's disease were greatly disturbed by the noise generated by wind farms and all of the rest. I understand that it is partly intended that the new network of pylons will allow for the export of energy. Can the Minister confirm such a development?

I do not think we should damage our environment in order to create the possibility of exporting energy. Tourism, for example, is one of the most important income generators in this country but we are going to destroy a whole series of beauty spots.

Senator Cullinane mentioned the planning Act and the fact that things have returned to the old days when county councils could ram anything through without availing of the planning process. I am not sure that this completely applies at the moment but I am very concerned at a recent trend that seems to have developed among higher public officials. A former city manager has been appointed as head of Irish Water. Now the chairman of An Bord Pleanála has moved in to take charge of EirGrid. I have no doubt that he is a man of impeccable character and all of the rest.

I do not know the person at all. I am not in any sense wishing to impugn his character but it looks so bad. We are always told perception is everything. When the chairman of the planning authority goes into a situation where there are really serious planning issues, that stinks, frankly. I think he is unwise to have accepted that job. It is not that he could be, in any sense, corrupt-----