Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Some colleagues have mentioned the free travel system, the maintenance of which is absolutely essential. There are many ways by which our treatment of older citizens in recent years has become quite shameful, including the elimination of various services and allowances and so on. It seems to me that the free travel system is probably among last remaining examples of evidence that we have some regard for our older citizens and it must remain non-negotiable.
In yesterday's edition of TheIrish Timeswe read that in Denmark high-voltage cables are placed underground in scenic areas and away from centres of population. The writer referred to his home island of Funen and how it is almost free of overhead lines. He stated:

Dig them down; it costs a hell of a lot of money but it is worth it. Pylons are not an issue in Denmark any more.

We heard last week that EirGrid is considering undergrounding options for the Grid West project, but with the veiled threat that it might cost a great deal more. We were told on 7 January by John Lowry, a project manager on the Grid Link project who is working for EirGrid, that the type of power generated and used here means that cables cannot be run underground. How can that be true in the light of what we have learned from Denmark and given what EirGrid is proposing to contemplate? If we are committed to protecting our environment we must place these pylons underground. We need look no further than my Bill, which is on the Order Paper, the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) (Amendment) Bill 2014.

The fact that the Government has not supported this legislation to date is telling. I will be calling votes on the Order of Business in due course to ensure we can debate this legislation. If we are committed to real representation of the communities that elect us, there can be no doubt that we ought to pass that legislation or very similar legislation.