merrion street

“I want to see Eirgrid do everything it reasonably can to secure community acceptance. However engagement between company and community must be reasonable and must be tempered by what constitutes the public interest”

12th November 2013.

In an address to the Energy Institute in Dublin this evening Minister Rabbitte said:

Building out major infrastructure today is becoming more challenging. Yet most people understand that Ireland cannot attract investment and provide jobs without a modern energy system. Water and energy supply are at the top of the priority list of those thinking of investing in Ireland. Our ability to rebuild the economy, to attract and retain foreign investment, to sustain Irish enterprise, to create jobs and growth, to deliver regional development and to ensure the wellbeing of our people all depend on this.

The Government does not make arbitrary decisions directing where power lines are to be built or not built. Government has established a statutory agency, Eirgrid, to deliver a safe, secure and affordable electricity supply throughout Ireland. And whereas government will not direct Eirgrid to particular sites or routes or technologies, government does require Eirgrid to take account of all relevant national and international standards, to follow best practice and ensure value for money. And the government has full confidence in the competence, professionalism and technical abilities of Eirgrid and in the impartial discharge of their onerous functions.

In the Policy Statement I published on behalf of Government in July 2012 we have made clear our belief that structured, transparent consultation and information-sharing will contribute to delivering proper mitigation measures, including landscape and visual benefit through reconfiguring or rationalising existing networks. And we made clear government’s conviction that a community gain approach in the delivery of energy infrastructure should become best practice.

I want to see Eirgrid do everything it reasonably can to secure community acceptance. However the engagement between company and community must be reasonable and must be tempered by what constitutes the public interest.

However, no Government can walk away from its responsibility to provide the country with a secure energy supply. Nor can any Government wantonly inflict unnecessary costs on energy consumers to allay concerns that are not well founded.