Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total amount the State has invested in Eirgrid, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5637/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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EirGrid is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department and was established under Regulation 50 of the European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulations 2000. EirGrid is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department.

EirGrid is not funded by the Exchequer. It is funded through revenue primarily derived from regulated tariffs such as the Transmission Use of System (TuoS) tariff, a charge payable by all users of the transmission system.

EirGrid publish all its financial information in its Annual Reports which can be viewed on its website.

The following State ‘investments’ with respect to EirGrid since its establishment are as follows:

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his considerations in relation to the greater undergrounding of electricity infrastructure in rural Ireland, in response to the largescale service interruptions which arose due to Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5638/25]

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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143. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his proposals to increase the capacity of local electricity infrastructure, to sustain the impact of adverse weather events without mass power outages, such as those experienced in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5640/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together.

Issues regarding the development of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, who are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. Both entities are overseen by the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).

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’.

Planning, building, safely operating and maintaining the electricity system are functions which are assigned to the respective Distribution and Transmission system operators and for which they are accountable to the CRU. It is for system operators to determine the means of delivery of infrastructure.

Notwithstanding that Government does not direct System Operators to particular types of technologies, I met with representatives from the CRU and ESB Networks on 31 January to discuss the Storm Éowyn response and the impact on customers.

I requested a number of actions be taken, once the initial storm response has been completed. These measures include an enhanced Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan. This will be developed and will be implemented by ESB Networks between March and October to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter.

I also requested a full review by ESB Networks and CRU, as part of the PR6 (Sixth Annual Price Review) decision-making process, of the planned grid enhancement having regard to the damage caused by Storm Éowyn, with specific additional projects and investments identified to future proof Ireland’s energy grid and to adapt to the challenges of climate change.