Tá mé buíochach den Cheann Chomhairle as cead a thabhairt dom an cheist seo a ardú agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sí ag caint leis an Aire féin mar gheall air seo. I refer the Minister to a unique situation in north county Dublin where an ESB plan for 110 kv line is needed between Swords and Balbriggan. The route follows the new M1 motorway reservation. Leaving aside the reports that indicate evidence of strong magnetic fields causing cancer, the issue here is really one of adopting the precautionary principle "where it is possible". If ever it was possible, it is possible in this situation. Already 10% of the line is to be underground at Glassmore on the southern end and the case is very strong for the same to be done at the northern Balbriggan end, from the motorway to the town. The route is already 16 kilometres with 77 pylons proposed. In that regard it is important to look at the Australian experience of such a project where road reservations are seen as service reservations and they include not just roads but also rail and accessible pipes and cabling. Service roads separate maintenance crews from other road users. Given that cyclists and pedestrians or horses are prohibited on motorways, a service road could be a very valuable multi-use investment which could help tourism and provide safe routes for commuters such as cyclists. The Roads Act, 1993, is a large document. It gives total discretion to the National Roads Authority with regard to co-operation with the ESB or other agencies including the local authority on this matter. In the case of Dublin north, Fingal County Council, the local authority, has passed a resolution to seek ducting and undergrounding of this unique roadside 110 kv line. The case is very strong. There are many homes and farms along the line. There is also the problem of the visual intrusion of this line along the main road. Most people are also worried about the electromagnetic pollution that high voltage lines are suspected of causing.
The issue should be examined and the undergrounding done as soon as possible on this optimum stretch, especially in areas of high density housing or planned housing. There is a great deal of housing planned for north county Dublin. The Minister should make an order or amend the 1993 Roads Act to ensure co-operation between agencies. This change is needed anyway as I know that the ESB and the NRA are often at loggerheads over crossing of roads. There is a need to put in place proper co-operative structures to resolve problems. Co-location is accepted as a planning principle in terms of mobile phone masts. Co-location of services should be used to minimise impact and financial liability.
The IFA and the various campaign groups such as Fingal for Undergrounding of Electricity Lines – FUEL – as well as representatives of various political parties are seeking this logical undergrounding option. They have warned that this campaign to place this line underground could become the Wood Quay campaign of Fingal. There is not just the cost of placing these lines underground as opposed to using pylons. The ESB would claim the cost is prohibitive, but I have a newspaper report that shows a link between the use of pylons and leukaemia. It refers to a successful British compensation test case with the potential to have a huge impact on the electricity industry. The Minister should think ahead on this matter and take the opportunity when it is presented to us on a plate, of placing underground a line which will go alongside a major road construction project.
