andMr. Quinn asked the Minister for Energy the additional energy capacity and supply available to the Irish economy in the event of connection directly across the Irish Sea to the electricity grid of the Continent and the United Kingdom.

The primary purpose of an inter connector from our point of view would be to provide a back-up facility which would save approximately 200 megawatts of installed capacity on the ESB system.

Can the Minister indicate how the 200 megawatts figure was arrived at?

The normal practice is that whatever capacity is decided on for cable and plant at either end must be duplicated to allow for breakdown. In this case the estimates are based on two cables of 250 megawatts and that amounts, for technical reasons, to a net saving of installed capacity at 200 MW.

Could the Minister give the House any indication of whether there has been any progress towards the reconnection of the link that used to exist which would have provided us with this back-up service, and whether he agrees that the continued absence of this back-up service, as the events of the past few months have shown, presents very serious problems for this country?

I agree fully with what the Deputy said. As regards the first part of his question, the matter is being continuously pursued. The Deputy will appreciate that the restoration of that connector link is not a matter that is directly under the control of the Government.

26.

andMr. Quinn asked the Minister for Energy the cost to this State of a connector to link up the Irish Republic electricity grid with that of the Continent through the United Kingdom grid at Wales.

I am informed by the ESB that the estimated cost of the link, including all terminal equipment as projected in a study carried out in 1978, was in the range of £80 million to £90 million, depending on the route chosen. A further study would be required to give a more up-to-date estimate.

Could the Minister relate this figure to the existing link up that connects this jurisdiction with the one in Northern Ireland? Is that included in the £80 million to £90 million or would that figure be in addition to the work that has already been done on the plans that already exist for that connection?

The £80 million to £90 million relate to a new connection between here and Britain.

Would the Minister indicate what priority, if any, the Government would give to the making of such a connection directly between here and Britain, in view of the problems relating to the existing connections?

A very high priority.