Vol. 488 No. 1
106 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her Department will offer a subsidy to the Electricity Supply Board so that its proposal to carry power cables across Cork harbour is implemented in the most environmentally sensitive way. [5737/98]
The ESB is a commercial State company and as such behaves in accordance with commercial principles in relation to all its investment decisions. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in the matter. Moreover, decisions on the siting of transmission lines and infrastructural development are primarily matters for the board and management of ESB, in which I have no direct function. However, in relation to the Cork reinforcement transmission project, the ESB has assured me that following wide consultation, the route of minimum environmental impact was chosen and mitigation measures will be applied where feasible. This proposal was subjected to the full requirements of the planning process and has received the necessary planning approvals.
