Conlan Raises Concerns About North South Interconnector Consultation Process – 28/02/13

Deputy Sean Conlan in a Parliamentary Question to Pat Rabbit TD, Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Recourses, has asked that the Minister, bearing in mind that the Government’s policy statement on the subject clearly states that “the Government underlines the imperative for early and on-going engagement and consultation with local communities and all stake holders before entering planning, if he, the Minister considers that the communities in the North South Interconnector area who are potentially affected by the line should be entitled to the same early and transparent consultation process now afforded to the communities in the Grid Link and Grid West study areas, given the fact that the North South Interconnector corridor is now the subject of a new planning application”

 

The Deputy has called on the Minister to make a statement to the House on the matter. Deputy Conlan has placed this question before the Dail to ensure that those effected by the proposed Interconnector will on this occasion, be given adequate opportunity to get involved in the consultation process and that their legitimate concerns are accommodated through this process before the planning application is submitted.

 

The Deputy continued “There was clearly a lot of discontent over how the previous planning application was handled and I am concerned that we do not have a repeat of that incident. Those affected by this development are landowners who have farmed these lands in some cases for generations. They are legitimate stakeholders and are entitled to have their say in the consultancy process. There must be no rush to planning until the stated Government policy of engaging with these people has been adhered to and seen to have been. These developments must be sympathetic to those whose lands they effect and who have legitimate concerns”.