Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1088. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the independent expert panel considering EirGrid's Gridwest and Gridlink for route specific studies and reports of fully undergrounded and overhead options for Gridwest; when he expects to have its final report and recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41774/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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In January 2014, an independent panel of experts, chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, was established to examine the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The Panel met on several occasions since then to consider and approve the terms of reference for comprehensive, route-specific studies and reports of fully undergrounded and overhead options for each of the Grid West and Grid Link projects. The studies and reports are required to include assessments of potential environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors. The terms of reference for the work to be carried out were published in May and are available on my Department's website.

EirGrid will either undertake or commission the necessary work in accordance with those terms of reference set by the Panel. In due course, the Panel will provide an opinion to me on the completeness, objectivity and comparability of the studies and reports and will oversee the publication by EirGrid of the two studies and reports prior to EirGrid proceeding to public consultation on the two projects. The Panel expects to be in a position to provide an opinion to me on the Grid West project in January 2015. An opinion on the Grid Link project is expected by end-July 2015.