Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for an interconnector to France; if this will have implications for the Government's position on nuclear power; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28983/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Under the Energy Policy Framework and the Programme for Government, we are committed to the progressive development of a regional electricity market with the UK and North West Europe underpinned by new interconnection. The current focus is on the delivery of the second North South electricity interconnector by 2011 and the new East-West electricity interconnector no later than 2012. At the Government's request EirGrid is also undertaking cost benefit analysis and feasibility planning for further interconnection with the UK and potentially with Europe in the longer term. Enhanced interconnection is critical for Ireland and indeed all Member States in terms of security of supply, competition and the completion of the Internal Market.

The Government fully intends to maintain the statutory prohibition on nuclear generation in Ireland. The use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity in Ireland is in any event statutorily prohibited under Section 18(6) of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999. This prohibition does not, however, include the importation of electricity generated by nuclear energy. Legal advice received by my Department states that such a prohibition would be in breach of Article 28 of the EC Treaty, which prohibits quantitative restrictions on imports and all measures having equivalent effect between Member States.

I am further advised that it is not technically possible to guarantee that electricity imported over an interconnector is not generated from nuclear sources as it is not physically possible to prevent the flow of nuclear generated electricity onto the network. Neither is it possible to distinguish the flow of electricity across interconnectors by reference to the original source of supply or generation.