Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 February 2014
130. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish the exact terms of reference for the independent commission he proposes to establish in regard to EirGrid's Grid Link and Grid West projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8443/14]
View answer131. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will guarantee that members of the independent commission on EirGrid will be fully independent and will under no circumstances be selected if they have had prior contractual or consultative roles with EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8444/14]
View answer132. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will publish the criteria by which he is to select membership of the EirGrid independent commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8445/14]
View answer133. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a person (details supplied) who has been nominated to the independent commission investigating EirGrid's proposals was previously engaged in any way by EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8458/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 133, inclusive, together.
On 28 January last, in response to EirGrid's recent public consultation process, I announced that I had appointed an Independent Panel of Experts, to be chaired by Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness, to decide the terms of reference for, and to oversee the integrity of a process to be undertaken by EirGrid to report on, comprehensive, route-specific studies of overhead and underground options for both the Grid Link and Grid West projects.
When considering invitations to participate on the Panel, I was mindful of the need to invite persons who are held in high regard by their peers and also by the general public. The expertise of the Panel has been drawn from the environmental, technical and economic sectors and is being chaired by a former Supreme Court Judge. There is no doubt that the members will be scrupulous in completing their work in a totally impartial manner, in accordance with the terms of reference, and free from any influence from interested parties, whether EirGrid or otherwise. The outputs from the two studies, which will be required to be complete, objective and comparable, will be published before proceeding to the next stage of public consultation on the two projects. The two studies will take account of environmental (including visual amenity) impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors. The Independent Expert Panel will have power to commission its own work if there is any perceived deficiency in the studies presented.
I met with the Chair of the Panel on 31 January 2014. I also met briefly with the full Panel on 10 February 2014 prior to the start of its first meeting to thank the members for undertaking the work. The Panel has now commenced its deliberations including settling the terms of reference to oversee the integrity of the process now being put into place. The agreed terms of reference will be published in due course.
