Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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48. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the terms of reference for the review of the North-South Interconnector limit it to reviewing previous findings and reports or will allow for new evidence, research and innovations to be assessed in view of the fact that EirGrid has recently identified the best performing option for the Kildare-Meath grid upgrade as a 400kV underground cable having previously argued against this option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24880/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The North-South Interconnector is critical to improving the efficient operation of the all-island single electricity market and increasing security of electricity supply in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will also help Ireland to move towards our 70% renewable electricity target by 2030. A resilient and well-connected energy infrastructure is vital for Ireland’s economic well-being and the ability to respond to the future needs of energy consumers.The option of undergrounding the North-South Interconnector has been comprehensively assessed on several occasions. Most recently, my Department commissioned an independent report incorporating international industry expertise to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the North-South Interconnector and the report from the International Expert Commission was published in October 2018. It found that an overhead line remains the most appropriate option for this piece of critical electricity infrastructure.

Notwithstanding this, I have decided to commission a further short review to assess if the overall finding from the 2018 report remains valid. Terms of reference for this study were published on my Department's website on 21 April and are also attached for ease of reference. On 7 May, my Department launched a procurement using the appropriate procurement framework administered by the Office of Government Procurement.