John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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307. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he first became aware of certain proposals being made by EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52752/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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EirGrid’s Grid25 Programme, launched in 2008, is the most important investment in Ireland’s electricity transmission system for several generations.Grid25 will take several years to complete and it represents an investment of €3.2 billion. It involves extensive work throughout the country, including building 800km of new power lines and upgrading 2,000 km of existing lines – double the size of today’s grid. The Grid25 project will reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels by putting the infrastructure in place to enable us use our own natural resources, help us create less carbon waste and enable us reach our renewable energy targets by 2020. Details of the Grid25 programme and the individual projects are available on the EirGrid website at .

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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308. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the regular contact between his Department and EirGrid during the initial consultation period; if he is closely monitoring the outpouring of adverse public reaction to the EirGrid proposals, which have been seen across the country in the potentially affected areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52753/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I am aware that many people are concerned about the impact that new transmission lines and other energy infrastructure can have on the landscape, the environment and on local communities. I have, therefore, repeatedly said that it is essential that Grid25 and other energy infrastructure plans are taken forward on the basis of the best available knowledge and informed meaningful engagement on the impacts and costs of the various options.

In delivering the Grid25 programme, EirGrid must: - undertake and communicate well-informed, objective and authoritative analysis, thorough impact assessment and pre-planning consultation, in arriving at optimal routes, technology choice, design and costings:

- address and where possible avoid any human, environmental or landscape impact in delivering the best possible engineering solutions for our small and still isolated electricity system;

- adhere to national and international standards on health, environment, biodiversity, landscape and safety as an intrinsic part of the planning process.