Seanad debates

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

2:55 pm

Photo of John KellyJohn Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

My colleagues, Senators Landy and Whelan, and I have been fighting with EirGrid over recent years regarding the Grid25 project. As a result, we have brought about an independent group which was set up to investigate the possibility of putting cables underground. Alongside that, we always said there was a need to debate whether this project was necessary. Colm McCarthy has agreed and said it is not necessary. The Irish chartered institute of engineers has said the wind energy and pylon projects are not necessary. It is fascinating that as of last week we have the ESB - the predecessors to EirGrid - questioning whether this expansive and expensive project is necessary. It claims it is not. It is very important we have a debate in the House at the earliest opportunity on the need for this project to go ahead at all. I call on the Leader to invite the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White, at the earliest convenience to the House in order that we can have a broad debate on this. There is a great deal of expertise in the House on this project. Serious economists are on our side. We would be foolish to ignore them.

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