Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann” and substitute:

“notes:

- the benefits that the North-South interconnector will bring to electricity consumers across the island of Ireland through lower prices as a result of more efficient operation of the Single Electricity Market and increased security of electricity supply; and

- the importance of Ireland’s close relationship in the energy sector with Northern Ireland and the UK, and the European Union and UK Government’s continued support for the Single Electricity Market against the backdrop of the UK decision to exit the EU;

and calls on the Government:

- to take account of the concerns of the communities of Cavan, Meath and Monaghan; and

- to publish an independent analysis of international developments in relation to the relative cost differences, technologies and engineering solutions of overhead and underground technologies fully integrated in an all-island electricity system and be cognisant of same.”.

I welcome the Minister. The Minister has mentioned the amendment in his statement. I want to compliment the Minister on his handling of the brief and also his handling of this issue. This issue has been around since 2007. There have been consultations regarding land and route selection since 2007. This Minister has gone out of his way to meet all parties, and that has to be acknowledged.

The issue we are trying to debate is the appropriate way forward for the country regarding the single market we have at the moment. We all realise that the interconnector has to happen. We have a situation where post-Brexit energy security will be one of the key issues for driving our economy. At the moment we have only one interconnector between here and Northern Ireland. This proposal concerns a second one. This is a crucial piece of infrastructure, not alone for Northern Ireland but for the Republic going forward. It is about energy security. Security is a key part of what we are trying to propose here. Security regarding energy and the ability to ensure that we have access to this energy is very appropriate.

We know what we are. We are an island nation just off the UK. Our nearest neighbour is the UK, and we need to have connectivity to that market. This interconnector gives us the ability to do that. It will affect people in Northern Ireland. It will affect people in Cork. It will affect people everywhere, and that is why this proposal, which has been around since 2007, is so important. That is why we have proposed this amendment because it is about trying to ensure that we have certainty in the market. A proposal has been proposed here today which is about certainty in the energy market. Going forward we can hopefully build our economy off the back of it. There are issues, which have been raised by other Members of the House, regarding pricing and the actual cost of the project. At the end of the day, the project was started in 2007 and ten years later it has not been physically started and is still going through the planning process. That shows the level of consultation that is happening on these issues.

The Minister made it very clear in his speech why we need to progress and move forward with this project. I have to support the Minister, because a key aspect behind this is that if we were to stall now again and start into another consultation period, where would we go? We also have an issue about Northern Ireland. We must show that we are on board so that we can develop in both the North and the South. Brexit is going to be the key issue in terms of energy security. We have a single market in Ireland, which has worked as we have seen, but now we need to build on that, and this interconnector is a key part of building that confidence in the market. Confidence is very important. We need to have the confidence of the investors and the marketplace so that we can provide this key piece of infrastructure. If we lose this confidence what effect will that have on other infrastructure projects, whether it is broadband or other issues? We will lose the confidence of the investors that we need to ensure that we can have these core infrastructure projects put in place so that the island itself can develop.

The Minister has shown his ability to engage with the communities, and that is something that has to be acknowledged. I am sure that Members from Fianna Fáil will acknowledge afterwards that the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, went out and met these people. That is a real key issue here. He has physically met these people on the ground, and that is a very important issue. We are engaging, we are working and we are going forward with the Minister. We can ensure that we can have this interconnector in place. It is important for all of Ireland that it actually happens, and I am sure the Minister will deliver it. More importantly, he will deliver it by consultation, by talking, by working with his chief technical officer, and by talking to the communities.

I would hope that we can have backing for the Government amendment because it is the appropriate step forward. If we can all work together we can hopefully achieve the security that is required so that the entire economy can grow. The Minister has proven by his meetings with the groups involved that he has an open ear and that he is open minded about these issues.