Decisions needed over cross-border electricity interconnector

The plan is to connect the grids using 138km of overhead lines between County Meath and County Tyrone.

The utility regulator has said serious decisions must be made if any more hurdles are put in the way of a new north-south electricity interconnector.

The plan is to connect the grids using 138km of overhead lines between County Meath and County Tyrone.

The project was due to have been completed by next year and now has a target date of 2019.

The regulator Jenny Pyper told the BBC's Inside Business programme it needed to be a priority for government.

"Frankly the second interconnector is a total no-brainer in terms of addressing our security supply issues and trying to make sure we have a much more efficient market," she said.

"I need to have this at the top of my agenda as does the department and the minister.

"We're interested to see how the planning debate plays out, we're confident that we'll have a way forward this year, but if there are problems, if there are serious hurdles, then I think there are serious decisions to be made."