218. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 8 of 11 June 2026, the current position in relation to the introduction of legalisation regarding ESB lines and forestry corridors. [63958/26]

The Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025 continues to be progressed by my Department as a key element of the Government's work to strengthen the resilience of Ireland's electricity network in the face of increasingly severe weather events. The overarching objective remains to ensure that electricity infrastructure and forestry can coexist in a manner that delivers a secure and resilient electricity supply for homes, farms, businesses and communities.

Substantial progress has been made in developing the legislative proposals. Revised Heads of Bill have been prepared and my officials continue to engage, as a matter of priority, with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ESB Networks, the Office of the Attorney General and other stakeholders. Discussions have focused on a number of important implementation issues including forestry corridor composition, compensation arrangements and the long-term management of forestry adjacent to electricity infrastructure.

The proposed legislation continues to provide for enhanced proactive vegetation management powers, including powers to address vegetation likely to interfere with the network, the establishment and maintenance of forestry corridors and statutory measures to ensure that future forestry takes account of electricity infrastructure.

It is intended to bring the revised Heads of Bill to Government as soon as practicable to seek approval to proceed to drafting and also to continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that the final legislative framework is practical, proportionate and capable of supporting the long-term resilience of the electricity network while respecting forestry and landowner interests.