The Government is being called to direct Eirgrid to cease plans to impose over-head pylon supported high voltage power lines along the proposed route of the North-South Interconnector.

Sinn Féin MEP, Matt Carthy, was speaking in advance of a public meeting on the issue in Meath on Tuesday following a meeting Sinn Féin held with the North East Pylon Pressure (NEPP) organisation last week.

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Mr Carthy said: "The concerns are very real; there are genuine worries for health, our environment, the landscape, the economic development of the areas concerned. The communities concerned have made their position crystal clear - the North South Interconnector can only proceed on the basis that it is undergrounded. Sinn Féin fully supports that position.

"Report after report, including one published by the government appointed International expert commission have clearly proved that under-grounding of the power-lines is both possible and feasible. Indeed, many argue that in the medium to long term, undergrounding is economically beneficial."

(CD/MH)