Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the report on the costing to the undergrounding of the proposed EirGrid North-South interconnector will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53364/17]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the concerns of communities in counties Cavan and Monaghan in relation to the north south interconnector particularly in relation to health, land devaluation, property devaluation, tourism and heritage; if this project will be placed underground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53383/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together.

On 21 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 of 2016.

Following the decision of An Bord Pleanála, I met with the local opposition groups and members of the Oireachtas in Leinster House on 8 February 2017 to listen to their point of view.

Motions were subsequently passed in both Dáil and Seanad Éireann calling on the Government to commission an independent report, incorporating international industry expertise to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the interconnector and a number of other related issues, and a study is underway to address these issues.

In the development of the Terms of Reference for this study, my officials met with the local opposition groups to get their views on the focus of the study. The terms of reference fulfil the central point of the motions that were passed in both Houses and the study will address as much of the issues raised by the opposition groups as is practicable.

Certain impacts such as environmental and health concerns will not be assessed since the statutory planning process is the appropriate method by which such impacts are assessed and evaluated. As Minister, I have an overarching duty, unless lawfully challenging a decision, to respect the decisions of lawfully established bodies.

I also met with a number of Oireachtas members on Tuesday 16 May to update them on the progress in relation to the proposed study and for the members to provide feedback.

The impact on land and property values and the level of compensation paid in lieu of such impacts was discussed and in response to these concerns I 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. The aim of the study is to provide a significant body of independently collated information on comparative practices in a number of jurisdictions.

The results of both studies are expected in Q1 2018.