asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the plans, if any, to reconstruct or return to operation the electricity link-up with Northern Ireland situated near Maynooth, County Kildare; the estimated cost of any works necessary; and the estimated length of time necessary before full production could be achieved.

I have been informed by the ESB that this link has been out of action since September 1975 due to malicious damage. Earlier this year, an attempt to restore the link was frustrated by further damage.

The absence of the interconnector is a serious handicap to both utilities in maintaining continuity of supply. If it were feasible to restore the link, the ESB advise me that it would take about six weeks to carry out the necessary repairs. As the damage is in the south Armagh area, all repair costs fall to be borne by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service. I have no information on what these costs would be.

Is the Minister effectively writing off the possibilities that this interconnector link will be restored, even though we have been warned already that there will be electricity cuts this winter? Is he kissing it goodbye as a source of electricity?

Since I became responsible for energy I have urged the ESB to encourage their counterparts in the North to repair the link which has already been repaired four times this year. As a result of my suggestions to the ESB and theirs to the Northern Ireland Electricity Service, efforts were made to repair the link again. Within a day or two of the work commencing certain terrorists arrived on the scene and threatened the workmen in the south Armagh area. They said that if they persisted in repairing the link they would be shot. Unfortunately, but understandably, the workmen desisted.

The breaks in this interconnector have always been outside our jurisdiction and there have not been any unrepaired breaks in our jurisdiction. If it were possible for the authorities in the North to maintain the link it would be an enormous benefit to us and would be a considerable benefit to the Northern Ireland Electricity Service who have surplus generating capacity which they could very conveniently sell to this part of the country.

Some of the additional capacity which the ESB had to put in in recent years was the direct result of these continuous explosions caused by terrorists. These people, who generally like to describe themselves as patriots, have cost the Republic tens of millions of pounds directly as a result of their activities in breaking this link and may well contribute in a significant way to possible power cuts, and have already contributed to power cuts in recent months. These power cuts would not have taken place if the ESB had been in a position to call on the 300 megawatts which are potentially available on this interconnector.

Do I understand the Minister to say that this link may not be connected owing to a security problem which is outside our jurisdiction, in Northern Ireland?

That is correct.

Will the Minister confirm that the ostensible purpose of the malicious explosions by the subversive elements concerned in the south Armagh area is to obtain blackmail contributions from either authority towards their operations, thus enabling them to develop terrorism even further?

I do not know what their objectives are because I cannot understand the mentality of this kind of person.

Apparently that is what they are after.

Since the interconnector has been out of order for almost four years, it is obvious that nobody is paying blackmail money.

I fully agree with much of what the Minister says, without being quite as categorical as he is about the allegiance of the terrorists. Would he consider investigating, with his counterparts in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the feasibility of constructing the link at another location?

If these people are determined to break the link, I am afraid they could break it somewhere else also.

If there were alternative or substitute links is it not possible that if the location were in more neutral country that——

It would increase the possibility of it being maintained but if the links were to go in elsewhere they would not be able to carry the same capacity as this major specially designed link. Nevertheless, it could be of some help.

It will be extremely important for future connections.

It will, indeed.