Sinn Fein has once again called for the North-South interconnector to be undergrounded.

Sinn Fein has said Eirgrid and SONI's plan lacks the necessary public acceptance among the affected communities and landowners.

MEP Matt Carthy also said the firms have failed to engage in any meaningful way with affected landowners and the public, despite spending large amounts of public funds on an intensive publicity campaign.

He said: "Any over-ground high-voltage Interconnector will face major public opposition.

"Affected rural communities are deeply concerned at the impact the current proposal will have on the local tourism and agriculture industries. There are also deeply held concerns regarding the public health impact.

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"Promoters of the current project have been dismissive of community concerns and indeed have devoted much of their considerable resources to demonising anyone who questions the current proposal.

"Last September, I hosted a delegation of stakeholders and community representatives living along the proposed route of the Interconnector in Brussles.

"The delegation visited the headquarters of Elia, the Belgian electricity transmission operator, which is responsible for developing the Aachen-Liege (ALEGrO) Interconnector between Belgium and Germany. The ALEGrO project has many similarities with the North South Interconnector but with one fundamental difference - it will be entirely undergrounded.

"Public acceptance doesn’t feature on the EirGrid or SONI criteria at all. It is clear that consideration for the views of local communities is an important factor that has resulted in the ALEGrO project being undergrounded while the North South Interconnector is not.

"The international evidence clearly shows that undergrounding this project is possible and feasible. It is likely in fact to be the economically sounder option in the long term.

"Should EirGrid and SONI refuse to adopt this position then they should be directed by government to do so."

(CD)