The consultation
An eight-week public consultation was launched in January on EirGrid’s portal for the Plan. The consultation was an invitation to the public to get involved and help us scope out the priority biodiversity issues and actions in our Plan.
Your views and suggestions
EirGrid consulted with Uisce Éireann, Waterways Ireland, and ESB in the early stages of development for the Biodiversity Strategic Plan (‘the Plan’). The conversations were constructive and the importance of a public consultation was discussed.
We received one response to our consultation from Cork Chamber of Commerce. Their response emphasises that both onshore and offshore grid development must be carefully balanced with the protection of Ireland’s unique biodiversity, highlighting risks to sensitive habitats, marine species, and local ecosystems, and calling for strong alignment with national, EU, and ESB biodiversity strategies. It urges EirGrid to adopt integrated, affordable biodiversity protections, strengthen monitoring and community engagement, and ensure that necessary energy-transition infrastructure proceeds in a way that respects ecological integrity.
Outcomes
The Plan addresses Cork Chamber of Commerce’s response by prioritising and accelerating protected and critical restoration of biodiversity in tandem with accelerated grid development. The Plan has been closely aligned to relevant Objectives and Actions outlined in Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan. EirGrid envisage revising this 10-year Plan in 2026 upon publication of EirGrid’s Group Strategy 2026-2030 and Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan in 2026. Thereafter, the Plan will be updated in response to other key milestones or policies, such as the work of the Citizens Assembly in relation to biodiversity, and any material change to biodiversity policy or statute. EirGrid will be publishing the Plan in December 2025.