John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the interconnector review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46547/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The North-South Interconnector, which will allow for the flow of 900 MW electricity between Ireland and Northern Ireland, will be critical for improving the operation of the all-island Integrated Single Electricity Market (ISEM). It will also help to facilitate the achievement of the goal of generating up to 80% of our electricity from renewable sources 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. It was previously deemed appropriate to carry out a short review to assess if the overall finding from the 2018 International Expert Commission’s report, which determined that an overhead line is the most appropriate option for this structure, remained valid. Following a competitive tender process two international experts were commissioned to carry out the review. Work on the review is ongoing; once completed the results will be published.