Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the meetings he has had and-or the briefings he has received in respect of the North South Interconnector. [27367/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not myself as Minister.

The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. The CRU is responsible for, inter alia, the economic regulation of the electricity system operators ESB Networks, distribution, and EirGrid, transmission. The cost of building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system is recovered by system operators through charges on customers, all of which is overseen and agreed with the CRU. System operator spending is agreed with the CRU in five-year cycles, referred to as Price Reviews.

The North-South Interconnector is a Transmission project and is being undertaken by EirGrid. The Government does not have any role in the delivery of electricity infrastructure on the ground. This is consistent with the 2012 Government Policy Statement on the Strategic Importance of Transmission and Other Energy Infrastructure which states: ‘The Government does not seek to direct EirGrid and ESB Networks or other energy infrastructure developers to particular sites or routes or technologies’. It is for system operators to determine the means of delivery of infrastructure and in doing so they seek to work in close collaboration with landowners and stakeholders.

The North-South Interconnector is an essential infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland — leading to a more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island. It will facilitate the connection of 900 MW of renewable generation, enough to power 600,000 homes through green energy.

As Minister, I have operated within the regulatory and policy framework regarding the delivery of electricity infrastructure. I regularly meet policy makers and stakeholders in the energy sector but have not engaged specifically on the North South Interconnector. I am briefed regularly by my officials and by EirGrid on the ongoing development of the electricity transmission network, including on the progress of the North South Interconnector.