The Communications Minister says campaign groups will have no input on the terms of reference for the independent review on Ireland's power network.
The new panel is being chaired by a former Supreme Court Judge.
Minister Pat Rabbitte says he has not yet discussed whether the findings they make will be binding, but he does not think the government would ever hand over the right to make a decision to any other group.
This morning one action group called for the panel to take their ideas on board when setting their terms of reference. But Pat Rabbitte told The Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk that is not going to happen.
The government announced yesterday the group would look at reports from EirGrid on the various underground and overground options for the infrastructure.
It could delay the planning process for the controversial project by around 18 months.
Announcing the new panel yesterday, Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte named retired Supreme Court Justice Catherine McGuinness as Chair.
It comes after EirGrid received 35,000 submissions to its public consultation on a series of pylons between counties Cork and Kildare.
Other experts sitting on the panel are ESRI Professor John Fitzgerald, Professor Keith Bell from the University of Strathclyde, head of the school of landscape architecture in UCD Dr. Karen Foley and economist Colm McCarthy.
The panel is to ensure that the studies are complete, objective, and comparable to similar studies of overhead options for the two projects. Both the overhead and underground options will be published side-by-side before proceeding to the next stage of public consultation.
Former Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness told Newstalk Breakfast they will work to find the best option for Ireland.
EirGrid will also be required to undertake the two studies, as determined by the panel, which will take account of environmental impacts, technical efficacy and cost factors.
Chief Executive Fintan Slye told Newstalk Breakfast that although the infrastructure is urgently needed, it will be worth the wait.
The panel will also have power to commission its own work if it sees anything lacking from the studies presented.
