Union chiefs seek meeting over electricity rules

Union leaders at ESB are to seek a meeting with Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey over controversial plans to change rules on electricity transmission.

Under the Government’s new White Paper on energy the ESB would give up control of high voltage cables – the transmission system – allowing the independent body EirGrid to run it.

The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union claimed the proposal is completely at odds with the social partnership agreement Towards 2016.

Davy Naughton, TEEU national industrial officer, said the plan appeared to breach a long standing tri-partite agreement between the Government, the ESB and unions that ownership of the grid would remain with the company.

“If this is the case it is a clear breach of social partnership and the ’Towards 2016’ Agreement that the Taoiseach Mr Ahern cited as one of the principles underlying the development of energy policy,” Mr Naughton said.

“The minister’s proposals also appear to conflict with his previously announced strategy that the ESB would remain a strongly, vertically integrated company.”

The reform of the system is designed to keep costs down.

But Mr Naughton said he could not see how savings could be made and he also questioned how EirGrid workers would be affected by the move.

“For all these reasons we will be seeking an urgent meeting with the minister, and the ESB,” he said.