Power link not in use since it was switched on

The largest single piece of energy infrastructure built in Ireland since Ardnacrusha opened in 1929 — the €600m East West Interconnector — has not been operational since the Taoiseach switched it on in September.

The interconnector, which links the power grids of Ireland and England, has been causing serious disruption to phone lines along its route from Batterstown, Co Meath, through north County Dublin and across the Irish sea to Wales.