Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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262. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the recent EirGrid report which provides for alternatives to high voltage overhead power lines in the grid link project and in the grid west project and which does not provide similar alternatives for the North-South interconnector; if he will request EirGrid to review this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13816/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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In January 2014, an Independent Expert Panel (IEP) was established to oversee the integrity of the process being undertaken by EirGrid to report on comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link (GL) and Grid West (GW) projects. While the North South Transmission Line project (N/S) is outside the IEP's Terms of Reference, the Independent Expert Panel did agree, on foot of a request by my predecessor, to provide an opinion on the compatibility of the methodologies, to be employed on the GL and GW projects with what had already been done on the N/S project up to and including 2 May 2014, being the date that the Panel decided to examine the N/S project. Having considered and discussed all of the material, the Panel issued a statement on 1 July 2014, indicating its unanimous opinion that, in all material respects, what had already been done on the N/S project is compatible with the methodologies now being employed on the GW and GL projects.

On 27 March 2015 EirGrid published a new draft Strategy which is shaped by three key pillars: open engagement with communities; making the most of new technologies; and a commitment to make the existing grid work harder before building new transmission infrastructure. The draft Strategy will allow for the achievement of an optimal balance between the competing demands of publicly consulting on necessary network development, choosing the best emerging technology options for that development, and minimising new build. The draft strategy found that there remains a clear need for the North South transmission Line, and that the existing proposal for a 400kV overhead line remains the most appropriate solution for the project. Both the draft Strategy and the clear need identified in it for the N/S project were subjected to peer review, which includes independent technical and economic analysis.

I welcomed the publication of the new EirGrid draft Strategy which represents a fresh approach and will strengthen the electricity grid while ensuring that new infrastructure will be built when a clear need is identified and when all options have been fully explored. The Strategy also places a much stronger focus on engaging and consulting with local communities on future infrastructure development.