Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Gallagher for giving me a minute of his time. I totally and absolutely endorse everything he said on the proposed interconnector. This process has now been going on for over ten years, in which time the families who live in these areas of Cavan, Monaghan and Meath have suffered financial, psychological and physical torment. It is just not good enough.

From day 1 they have had to put up with alternative facts, in other words "lies", from EirGrid and its supporters. We hear the phrase "alternative facts" in the United States of America and these alternative facts have been spun for over ten years to ordinary, decent people living ordinary, decent lives in their own communities. Cavan County Council, Monaghan County Council and Meath County Council have passed motions rejecting the proposed overhead power line. Councils made up of representatives of every community in their counties have said "No". EirGrid should have had to prove its planning application was in order but it was the ordinary members of the public and public representatives from the respective areas, including Oireachtas colleagues of mine, who went before the appeals tribunal at which their submissions were not even referred to. That is not good enough in this democracy and just before Christmas An Bord Pleanála announced its decision.The communities in these areas knew what the decision would be ten years ago. As Senator Gallagher said, their resolve to ensure that these cables are never be erected overground has become even stronger in that ten-year period. Regardless of how long this campaign or proposal continues, they will continue to oppose it and we, as Oireachtas colleagues of theirs, and our colleagues on the councils will stand up for them and ensure their voices are heard. The financial argument for this proposal may have had some credibility ten years ago but it has none today. The underground option would cost slightly more, and some suggest it would cost even less than the overground proposal.

I appeal to the Minister of State, as my colleague, Senator Gallagher, has done, to ensure that this project is underground.