Plans are going ahead to build three major projects on the national grid. These are at various stages but will provide 490 km of new power lines. That may be needed. The North-South interconnector has been delayed by seven years because 97% of landowners, 213 in total, are refusing EirGrid access to their land to do environmental impact studies. Grid Link, which covers the south east and Leinster, is meeting substantial opposition. The consultation period has been extended to January and we welcome that. Grid West is likely to go the same way. People are very concerned about long rows of pylons and their impact on farming, landscape, tourism, the devaluation of property and possible health implications.

In 2007, EirGrid claimed that putting cables underground was not technically feasible or reliable. Since the publication of the Government's independent expert report, however, EirGrid concedes that putting them underground is feasible and reliable. It is now a question of cost. In Denmark, new 400 KV cables are being put underground. EirGrid has the information on this. The recently completed East-West interconnector, 40 km of which is underground in this State and 30 km in Wales, cost €2.2 million per kilometre, almost the same as the estimate for the overhead lines, which was between €2.1 million and €2.3 million per kilometre. This does not include the losses due to delays. Chambers Ireland estimates that the delay in the North-South interconnector alone costs €30 million per annum. Over seven years that is €210 million if the estimate is accurate. Even if it is half right, that amounts to more than €100 million in losses on that project.

I want the Tánaiste to take into consideration the long-term costs. I told the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources last week that there are operational costs and we must consider the long-term costs. Look where short-term thinking got us in the past. The Tánaiste and his Government have rightly criticised that but I want them to think for the long term. If we put the cables underground, they will last longer. It will reduce transmission losses and disturbance to cables because they will not be affected by severe weather conditions. There will be lower maintenance costs and less damage to the landscape and environment and less visual impact. The Minister said last week in reply to me that he was open to carrying out a cost-benefit analysis on underground versus overhead. Will the Government commit and change policy to do that?

I blame the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte.

The Minister has extended the deadline for submissions on the pylons issue to 7 January. I encourage the Deputy to submit, as part of that process, the information he has given and the case he has made in the House. It is important the consultative process is full and all the information and cases that people have to make on this issue are made and considered.

There is another issue that we must consider for the long term. We all know that the extension of the electricity grid and the availability of energy and electricity supply are critical for the generation of employment and economic development, particularly in the regions. Some regions have experienced economic difficulties and difficulties in attracting investment and employment. It is critical there is an adequate energy supply to all the regions. In considering this issue, we must consider the long term. It is clear that EirGrid has an obligation, and the Minister has drawn attention to this, to operate, first, on the basis of consulting the public and listening to what they have to say on this issue; second, to comply with the planning processes in place: and third, to take the highest possible international standards for all the issues that must be considered, including environmental, and whether the cables should be under or overground. A study on whether cables should be under or overground was carried out in respect of the Meath-Tyrone project. The Deputy is aware of the outcome of that study. All these issues must be considered as part of the consultation process, which the Minister has extended to 7 January.

In 2007, EirGrid estimated that to put the cables underground would cost up to 25 times more than putting them underground, but by 2009, it had changed that to seven times the cost. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, said recently that it is imperative for State companies and developers of energy projects to have an early, transparent engagement with local communities and stakeholders. I welcome that statement. EirGrid management confirmed to our party, as late as yesterday, that the consultation process deals only with the issues of routes, corridors and direction, not underground versus overhead. This is a key flaw in the planning process. I welcome the Tánaiste's comments that he is willing to think about things in the long term. We have had enough problems in recent decades caused by short-term thinking and we are still tidying up after that.

There is a major flaw in the planning consultation programme process if it is not prepared to consider the issue of the viability and long-term cost of underground versus overhead. We want to deal with this properly because it involves billions of euro of taxpayers' money. Will the Government commit to having EirGrid correct this and ensure all options are considered as part of the consultation and planning process? The Tánaiste should send out that signal.

The Minister has extended the consultation period to 7 January and I encourage everybody who has an interest in the issue to make their case in advance of that deadline. Nobody should be constrained about what case they make. People who have an interest in this issue, whether public representatives or members of the public, people who are likely to be affected by it or who have an opinion on it, should make their case. I encourage them to do that.

The Deputy refers to costs and he has set out a range of figures. We have to be mindful that the cost is ultimately borne by the consumer so if there are additional costs associated with particular options, that cost will be reflected in the price of electricity to the domestic consumer and to businesses for which energy costs are a consideration when creating employment. I expect all these issues will be fully thrashed out and will be part of the consultation process that will take place up to 7 January.