Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 February 2014
118. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the North-South interconnector project will be included for review by the newly formed expert panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7067/14]
View answer119. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether it would be fair and proper to exclude the North-South interconnector project from the scope of the review panel, therefore not subjecting that project to the same scrutiny and examination as the Grid Link and Grid West projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7068/14]
View answer120. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he expects EirGrid to lodge an application for planning permission in respect of the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7072/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 118 to 120, inclusive, together.
On 28 January last, in response to EirGrid’s recent public consultation process, I announced that I have appointed an independent panel of experts, to be chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, to decide terms of reference for comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both Grid Link and Grid West. The outputs from those studies, which will be required to be complete, objective and comparable, will be published before proceeding to the next stage of public consultation on those two projects. The two studies will take account of environmental (including visual amenity) impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors. The independent panel will have power to commission its own work if there is any perceived deficiency in the studies presented.
Since then, I met with the Chair of the expert panel on 31 January 2014. I also briefly met with the full Panel on 10 February 2014 prior to the start of their first meeting to thank them for undertaking the work. The Panel has now commenced its deliberations including considering what work, if any, it might usefully undertake in relation to the North South Transmission Line project.
Detailed studies have already been conducted for the North South transmission line, including consideration of a route specific underground option and, most recently, an assessment by the Independent International Commission of Experts appointed in July 2011 which reported in February 2012. Previously, in 2009, the then Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources commissioned an independent study on Comparative Merits of Overhead Electricity Transmission Lines versus Underground Cables. That study was conducted by international consultants Ecofys.
I understand that EirGrid has taken full account of the contents of those studies in finalising the planning application for the North South transmission line. The timing of the submission of the planning application to An Bord Pleanála is a matter for EirGrid.
