Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

48. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the proposal by EirGrid to construct the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49037/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 19 December 2016 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the North-South Interconnector project in Ireland. The decision concluded a lengthy planning process which included an Oral Hearing completed over eleven weeks from March to May last year. The planning process for the section of the project in Northern Ireland is on-going following the conclusion of an oral hearing on 27 February 2017.

Following the motions calling for an updated independent study that were passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann earlier this year, I have commissioned two independent studies designed to address the main points of the motions as well as key concerns expressed by parties opposed to the development of an overhead line.

The first is an independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the interconnector. I have approved the appointment of independent experts to carry out this study and their work commenced in August. The consultants are Bo Normark, who will Chair the Group, Professor Ronnie Belmans and Professor Keith Bell.  This Independent Expert Group is expected to deliver its final report by the end of January next and indeed were in Ireland for a variety of meetings in the course of their research on Thursday and Friday last week (16-17 November).

I have also commissioned a study on the levels of compensation provided to land and property owners in proximity to high-voltage transmission lines in a European context.​ Work is well underway on this study and its results are expected in Quarter 1 2018.

The results of both commissioned studies will be published prior to the conclusion of this procurement process.  In addition, no work will be commissioned during the procurement process.