John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he will take to address ESB wind farm establishment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11344/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Applications for grid connections to permit grid access are made to ESB Networks or to EirGrid depending on scale of the connection. Supervision of the grid connection process and settlement of any disputes arising is vested in the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). I have no function in the matter. The CER continues to operate a group approach to connecting projects to the national grid, which is designed to streamline the connection process in the interests of efficiency and cost effectiveness for developers.

The current group approach, Gate 3, was the subject of extensive public consultation by the CER. With a full public consultation and dedicated industry workshops, all industry stakeholders were afforded the opportunity of responding to the proposed connection process well in advance of the decision being made. On 16th December 2008 the Commission set out a final direction (CER/08/260) to the system operators on Gate 3 of Ireland's network connection policy for renewable generators. Gate 3 provides for circa 3,900 MW of new additional renewable generator connection offers. The decision by CER on Gate 3 is potentially capable of delivering (indeed exceeding) the 40% national target for the contribution from renewable energy resources to electricity consumed by 2020.

To ensure this process operates efficiently and to ensure the connection offer process is completed as quickly and as effectively as possible, the CER has established a Gate 3 Liaison Group involving all stakeholders, including the renewable industry associations. Gate 3 Group Liaison meetings are held monthly and consist of representatives from the Commission, the system operators and from the renewable and non-renewable generation sectors. Further information on the meetings including agendas and minutes is available on the CER website.