Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming into the House this morning to take this Commencement Matter. The issue of the North-South interconnector is one which I, and other Senators and Deputies, have raised over the past number of years. The North-South interconnector planning application by EirGrid is poised to have a huge detrimental impact all across the north-east area. It is a project that carries major public concerns, as the Minister is aware. This is evidenced by the large number of objections that have been received by An Bord Pleanála. The people of Cavan, Monaghan and Meath have made their position very clear on the North-South interconnector and how the construction of over 400 pylons carrying 400,000 volts of electricity should be abandoned in favour of undergrounding. Through the north-east pylon pressure campaign, Monaghan anti-pylon committee, and other community organisations, the people of these areas have found their voice. With that voice they have said a resounding "No" to high-voltage overhead power lines supported by pylons running through their communities, beside their houses, and through their lands. The concerns of these people are very real and should be addressed by the Government and EirGrid. There are genuine worries for health, the environment, the landscape, the economic development of the areas concerned, and many more. The people and communities concerned have outlined their position over a number of years and that position is that this should be undergrounded. Report after report, including one published by the Government-appointed International expert commission, has proved that undergrounding of the power lines is both possible and feasible. Indeed, many argue that in the medium to long-term, it is economically beneficial to underground this connector.

I raise this Commencement matter today because of the recently launched €42 billion capital plan, which includes €5.75 billion specifically related to energy infrastructure. One of the key projects that is earmarked for delivery by the Government is the North-South interconnector. Is the capital funding commitment for the North-South interconnector contained in the capital programme Building for Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 dependent on the project proceeding over ground or will the project still be funded under the programme if it is delivered in an alternative way, that is through undergrounding?Will the Minister advise on some of the following issues? How much funding has been allocated for the project? What are the conditions associated with it? Does he believe there was a failure by EirGrid to consider the undergrounding option or does he believe it could be considered as a viable alternative? Will there be a commitment to explore that option further? Following this, could there be a commitment to fund that option?

I take the opportunity to highlight once again the following points of relevance, given the level of concern among communities in the north east, namely, counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath. Communities across the north east have voiced their full support for the project if it is to be constructed using modern underground cable technologysystems. EirGrid has conceded that undergrounding is feasible and reliable, with dramatically reduced costs than the company had originally claimed. However, it has persisted in refusing to even examine a site-specific underground route option and instead has routed the overhead lines and pylons across the most densely populated areas of the affected counties.

I wish to be very clear: there is more certainty that delivery of the project would happen sooner if it were to be undergrounded than if there was an to be attempt to proceed with the overground option. Overgrounding will result in nothing but confrontation, conflict and, ultimately, failure. In essence, there will be total opposition. There will be blockades by landowners and communities should that option be proceeded with. It is important to say this because that is the resounding message I have received from the communities concerned and which I wish to convey to the Minister. Communities across the north east believe they are being discriminated against by EirGrid and the Government. The undergrounding analysis made for Grid West and Grid Link was never afforded to the North-South interconnector project. Subsequently, we heard about the decision relating to Grid West not to proceed with the use of pylons because of the use of new technologies. Are we to ignore the realities of technologies when considering the North-South interconnector? EirGrid conceded at a recent Oireachtas joint committee hearing that although HVDC undergrounding was feasible, it had never been examined specifically along roads in the case of the North-South interconnector. Will the Minister ask EirGrid to perhaps withdraw its application until such time as a proper objective analysis of undergrounding has been carried out?