Written Answers Nos. 235-252
235. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to roll out a nationwide campaign to promote purchases from Irish websites and stores offering click and collect over the next six weeks in view of the closure of retailers as a result of the latest Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33716/20]
View answerDuring these difficult weeks for businesses, my Department is working with the Local Enterprise Offices on a local media campaign to support the ‘Shop Local’ initiatives that are already very active across the country. The purpose of this campaign will be to encourage communities to support businesses in their area by shopping locally and safely.
It is also important to note that while under Level 5 COVID-19 restrictions people cannot physically enter certain stores, they can continue to buy from them through ‘remote ordering’. Customers can place orders online or over the phone, and fulfil those orders by arranging for home delivery or collection.
This measure was introduced to encourage all of us to stay at home and to ensure fairness to those non-essential retailers who have had to close.
236. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a derogation of the standing sanction of mandatory audit of accounts for two years to SME businesses that fail to file their annual returns to the Companies Registration Office on time has been considered for those companies that had to file for 31 October 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33754/20]
View answerCompanies, which meet specific criteria, may, under the terms of Chapter 15 Part 6 Companies Act 2014, avail of an exemption from the requirement to have the financial statements which are appended to its annual return audited. A company must qualify as a small company (or micro company). As such, it is statutory provision and I would have no discretion in the matter.
It should be noted that the Registrar of Companies has taken a number of decisions, in light of the Covid-19 situation, to assist companies with the filing of annual returns. In March, the Registrar announced that all annual returns, where the deadline for filing fell between 18th March 2020 and 30th June 2020 (both dates inclusive), would be treated as received on time if all elements were submitted by 30th June 2020. In May, this arrangement was further extended until 31st October 2020. At that time, the Registrar indicated her reluctance to providing any further extension later in the year, being mindful of the need to balance the public interest in having up to date company information available against the difficulties caused by Covid-19.
The Registrar did commit to keeping the situation under review and on 12th October announced a decision that any company with an Annual Return Date of between 30th September 2020 and 31st December 2020 (both dates inclusive) will be deemed to have filed on time if all elements of the annual return are completed and filed by 26th February 2021.
For those companies with an Annual Return Date prior to 30th September, the Registrar has announced that the Form B1 must be filed online by 31st October and the remaining elements of the annual return will be accepted if delivered by the date indicated on the signature page.
In a further response to the challenges being experienced by companies due to the Covid-19 situation, the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Act 2020 was enacted over the Summer and came into operation on 21st August 2020. Section 6 of that Act provides that a company may opt to hold its Annual General Meeting on a date that is not later than 31st December 2020. Companies that need to avail of this provision can file annual returns up to 26th February 2021. The CRO has advised that this should only be a necessity on an exceptional basis, where company rules require the financial statements to be laid before an AGM prior to filing an annual return, and such companies should get in touch with the CRO.
I understand that significant numbers of companies have managed to file their annual returns and have not needed to avail of the full extended filing period. The CRO has indicated that, as of 28th October, over 71% of companies who are due to file by end October have already completed their filing while a further 22% of companies have partly filed.
237. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of data protection breaches identified within his Department in 2019. [33842/20]
View answerThere were six Personal Data Breaches recorded for my Department in 2019.
In addition, there were 24 Personal Data Breaches recorded for the Offices under the aegis of my Department in 2019.
A total of nine Personal Data Breaches were reported to the Data Protection Commission in 2019.
The decision to report these breaches to the Data Protection Commission was taken by the Data Protection Officer, who is an independent appointed officer, following a full risk analysis of the details pertaining to each personal data breach case. Following the mitigation actions that were put in place to protect the privacy rights and freedoms of the affected individuals, the Data Protection Commission were satisfied that no further action was required.
238. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if the National Broadband Plan contract includes fines for delays in the roll-out of the plan or financial incentives for accelerated roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33112/20]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed last November to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in the nearly 540,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools. The NBI deployment is expected to be substantially progressed over the next five years with the majority of premises in the intervention area expected to have access to high speed broadband by that time. The Public Spending Code obliges public sector entities to ensure that contracts are managed and delivered to the specified standard, within budget and on time. The contract with NBI contains a comprehensive set of protections and legally binding obligations.
The contract requires significant monthly, quarterly and annual reporting of costs and revenues to my Department, with the subsidy released only upon achievement of contract milestones which are verified through an independent certification process.
The contract also provides that, in instances where NBI fails to achieve certain key performance indicators (KPIs), penalties can be applied in the form of a deduction to subsidy payments due. These deductions are based on clear and measurable requirements such as the time to connect a new customer with the service or the time taken to repair a fault or the download speed performance that a customer receives.
A series of Claw-backs in the contract were inserted to ensure that the tax payer gets value for money when savings are achieved or the financial performance of NBI is greater than forecast by “clawing back” subsidy in a number of circumstances.
The Programme for Government has committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network rollout is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19. The extent of this impact is currently being assessed and NBI has committed to put in place measures to mitigate the impact in as far as possible.
239. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number of properties passed to date as part of the roll-out of the national broadband scheme; the number of broadband connections made; the number of properties surveyed to date in relation to this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33637/20]
View answerThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led Intervention will be delivered by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) under a contract signed last November to roll out a high speed and future proofed broadband network within the Intervention Area which covers 1.1 million people living and working in over 544,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with 695 schools. The NBP network will offer users a high speed broadband service with a minimum download speed of 500Mbps from the outset. This represents an increase from the 150Mbps committed to under the Contract. The deployment plan forecasts premises passed in all counties within the first 2 years and approximately 70,000 to 100,000 premises will be passed each year thereafter which will result in over 90% of premises in the State having access to high speed broadband within the next four years.
As of 27 October, design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across 25 counties and steady progress is being made with over 118,000 premises surveyed to date. This activity is increasing week on week and by year end NBI expects to have completed some 120,000 surveys. This activity involves physically walking the routes and documenting images, notes and measurements of the poles, cables and underground ducts in each area. This is informing design solutions for provision of the fibre network. This detailed design is then used to initiate the ‘make ready’ project with eir for the area, where eir ensure any poles and ducts being reused are fit for purpose. It is also used to initiate works with the subcontractors deploying the actual fibre in the area. The laying of fibre should commence shortly with the first fibre to the home connections expected around December this year in Cork. Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are a key element of the NBP providing high speed broadband in every county in advance of the roll out of the fibre to the home network.
As of 23 October, some 179 BCP sites have been installed by NBI and 59 of these are now connected with high speed publicly accessible broadband, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development. In addition, school BCPs will be provided with high speed broadband, for educational use only, through a service provider contract managed by the Department of Education and Skills. To date, 6 schools have been connected with high speed broadband for educational access only. It is anticipated that 275 BCP sites will be connected by the end of the year. Further details can be found at https://nbi.ie/bcp-locations/ .
While substantial progress has been made to date, the Covid 19 pandemic has had an impact on the delivery of the fibre network. The extent of this impact is currently being assessed and NBI has committed to put in place measures to mitigate the impact in as far as possible. The Covid 19 pandemic has also highlighted the importance of good reliable broadband to ensure that citizens across Ireland can avail of remote working, education and other essential online facilities.
The Programme for Government has committed to seek to accelerate the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. In this regard, my Department continues to engage with NBI to explore the feasibility of accelerating aspects of this rollout to establish the possibility of bringing forward premises which are currently scheduled in years 6 and 7 of the current plan to an earlier date. Exploring the potential to accelerate the network rollout is being undertaken in parallel with the measures required to mitigate delays arising as a result of Covid-19.
240. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the restocking of freshwater fish continues on an ongoing basis; the degree of this work annually over the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33808/20]
View answerFish stocking is primarily a matter for fishery owners. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has developed and published policy guidelines to which persons undertaking this activity are expected to comply. These guidelines are designed to ensure compatibility with obligations of EU and National legislation and the principles of International Organisations to which Ireland is a party. In addition stocking policy is designed, where required, to preserve genetic integrity and to guard against the potential transfer of pathogens. IFI currently manages fish farm operations to support some elements of the angling sector with brown trout and rainbow trout for stocking into a relatively small number of fisheries. Details of the fish stocked are set out in the table below:
|
Year |
Fish Stocked |
|
2011 |
173,217 |
|
2012 |
165,465 |
|
2013 |
164,725 |
|
2014 |
120,330 |
|
2015 |
116,346 |
|
2016 |
123,633 |
|
2017 |
118,361 |
|
2018 |
112,165 |
|
2019 |
106,471 |
|
2020 |
90,165 |
Provision and sale of fish to these customers, involves significant movement and travel and in 2020 these activities have been subject to prevailing Public Health Advice associated with Covid-19.
The guidelines referred to above are available at the following link https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/documents/620-ifi-fish-stocking-guidance-document.html.
241. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which freshwater fish catches such as salmon and trout have fluctuated in each of the past ten years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33810/20]
View answerInland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) publishes the Wild Salmon and Seatrout Statistics Report every year. This report contains details of catches by anglers and commercial fishermen. The data contained in these reports are taken from statutory logbook returns made by each licenced commercial and recreational fisherman. The data are validated, collated and analysed by IFI before the final statistical report is produced.
A full series of these reports from 2001 to 2019 inclusive is available on the IFI website: www.fisheriesireland.ie.
242. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications when historic salmon fishing angling licences will be restored to all fishing areas with particular reference to Ballyhack Estuary, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33932/20]
View answerManagement of salmon stocks is carried out by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), with support from the Technical Expert Group on Salmon (TEGOS) which comprises of scientists from a range of organisations. Scientific and management assessments of each of the distinct stocks are carried out every year with IFI engaged in extensive stock monitoring which feeds into the scientific committee's annual reviews. Rivers are only open to harvest where it has been confirmed that the individual river is sufficiently exceeding its conservation limit so that there is a harvestable surplus available. The conservation limit for each river is the number of adult spawning fish required to maintain a healthy population and ensure its stock does not drop below safe biological limits.
Where rivers are meeting 50% of their conservation limit they may be open to catch and release angling. Rivers below this threshold are closed to all exploitation in line with the conservation imperative. In relation to estuaries all contributing rivers must sufficiently exceed their individual conservation limits to avoid indiscriminate exploitation of the mixed stock within the estuary.
Stocks from the rivers Suir, Nore and Barrow contribute to the Ballyhack estuary. All three rivers were open to catch and release angling only in 2020 as they were all below their conservation limit. All three rivers and the estuary were closed to harvest in 2020. A decision on their status for 2021 will be made following the provision of scientific advice from TEGOS and management advice from IFI
State licences for commercial fishing are not issued in relation to rivers or estuaries which are closed to harvest.
243. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32294/20]
View answerKillarney was designated as a Low Smoke Zone in order to reduce air pollution and promote public health in the area. Fine particulate matter is the pollutant of most concern from domestic solid fuel burning while the main health effects of air pollution are stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) publishes a quarterly report comparing fuel costs and heat energy output. The most recent figures available demonstrate that not only do low smoke ovoids produce more heat than bituminous coal, but they also deliver better value for money to the consumer in terms of cost per unit of energy delivered. These figures are available on the SEAI website at https://www.seai.ie/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf.
The European Environment Agency Report Air Quality in Europe 2019 indicates that in 2016 there were 1,180 premature mortalities arising from air pollution in Ireland. The vast majority of these, 1,100, are attributable to fine particulate matter. The same report indicates 12,000 years of life lost, indicating significantly earlier mortality for those deaths. Banning smoky coal saves lives and improves health outcomes.
Ultimately in order to improve our air quality, we must reduce our reliance upon the burning of solid fossil fuels. This is being supported by an allocation of €221 million for home and community retrofitting provided for in Budget 2021. This 82% increase on the 2020 budget is being funded through carbon tax revenue and includes €109 million in additional supports for low income homes.
244. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if the requirement for all utilities and telecommunications providers regulated in Ireland to provide a dedicated and adequately staffed customer service telephone line for elderly and vulnerable persons will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32421/20]
View answer275. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the legislative protections in place to ensure customers who are having difficulties with the customer service received from their broadband or phone provider are properly addressed; the recourse consumers have if they are unsatisfied with the way in which their complaint is handled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33759/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 275 together.
Telecommunications service providers are regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), which operates independently of my Department. The telecommunications regulatory framework, which ComReg implements, requires each telecommunications services provider to establish and operate a code of practice, including requirements for complaint handling and means of contact. Service providers must implement these measures, at a minimum, to assist consumers (including businesses) when they need to contact them with a complaint. A copy of the code of practice, which includes the three ways in which consumers can contact service providers, one of which is by electronic means of contact such as an email address or an online complaint form, can be accessed at: https://www.comreg.ie/code-practice-handling-complaints/.
Any operator failing to comply with any of these requirements is a matter to be pursued by ComReg.
The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999.The CRU is an independent statutory Regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas, and not to me as Minister.
The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
245. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if he will write to all telecommunications providers regulated in Ireland to ask them to provide free landline to landline calls for all customers over 65 years of age during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure they can stay connected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32422/20]
View answerProviding telecommunication services, is a matter for the relevant service providers operating in a fully liberalised market regulated by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg), as independent Regulator. As Minister I do not have statutory authority to require commercial companies to provide specific services as described by the Deputy. The telecommunications framework does include a useful tool in the form of the universal service obligation which helps to ensure that the reasonable needs of end users are met. This does not include free unlimited calls. However, consumers are free to make informed choices between service providers, some of which offer packages facilitating unlimited calls.
However, I recognise how vital telecommunications services are to citizens for so many aspects of their daily lives, including remote working, studying and staying in touch with family members during the Covid-19 crisis and I can advise that all the telecommunications companies which signed up to the COVID-19 commitments last spring have confirmed continuation of their policy regarding financially distressed customers due to the ongoing COVID situation. In that regard, in order that customers can remain connected during the crisis, service providers will engage with any customer that contacts them who is in financial difficulty as a result of COVID-19 and has difficulty paying their bills to agree the best way of keeping them connected.
246. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the public consultation on removing barriers to energy efficiency in the rental sector by addressing the split-incentive problem. [32442/20]
View answerIn the residential rental sector, the split-incentive usually arises when incentives to invest in energy efficiency upgrades are misaligned between landlords and tenants. This issue is common in many jurisdictions and negatively impacts the rate of energy efficiency investment. Last year, an Expert Advisory Group was formed to explore potential policy approaches to address the split-incentive and increase the number of rented properties undergoing energy upgrades. The Group is comprised of representatives from my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the SEAI and the Residential Tenancies Board.
Based on an analysis of policy approaches in other jurisdictions and input from stakeholders, the Group outlined a number of potential policy measures for a public consultation. The consultation ran from December 2019 to late January 2020 and spanned both the private rented residential and commercial sectors. Over 90 submissions were received in response to the consultation.
The results of the public consultation have been analysed by my Department and will inform the Expert Advisory Group's policy recommendations which will be submitted to the Minister in the first quarter of 2021. Submissions stressed the importance of striking the right balance between ensuring sufficient supply of rented accommodation and taking action to improve energy efficiency of the private rented stock.
Currently, landlords can apply for grant support to upgrade their rental properties under the existing Better Energy Homes scheme. In addition, the SEAI recently launched the One Stop Shop Development Call as part of the National Retrofit Scheme. The findings of the consultation helped to inform the decision to include encouraging the retrofitting of rental properties as an objective of the scheme.
247. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the funding allocation for his Department for 2021 by project. [32444/20]
View answerThe 2021 allocation for my Department is €770.9 million which represents a 50% or €256.7m increase over the 2020 allocation of €514m. Allocations by individual programme area for 2021 are set out in the table below:
|
Programme Area |
€m |
|
Communications |
236.167 |
|
Energy |
349.897 |
|
Natural Resources |
26.187 |
|
Inland Fisheries |
34.595 |
|
Environment & Waste Management |
124.031 |
Detailed allocations are being finalised and will be published in the Revised Estimates Volume in December.
248. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if the requirement to have an Eircode for broadband installation can be removed temporarily to allow those awaiting an Eircode can have internet installed in their new homes to allow them to work remotely during Level 5 restrictions. [32521/20]
View answerI understand the importance of people being in a position to work remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly at a time where restrictions are in place and when people are relying much more on electronic communications services . I am advised that each new postal address assigned an Eircode is published on the free to use Eircode Finder website (https://finder.eircode.ie/#/ ). A notification letter is issued to the property occupant containing the Eircode of the address and an Eircode Database, updated on a quarterly basis, is provided to licenced businesses for their use. However, I understand that on occasion, some delay may be experienced pending completion of that application process and confirmation of a new Eircode in some service providers’ IT systems to facilitate matching of a specific location with a new eircode, so as to subsequently trigger the initiation of a broadband installation process.
While operational matters of private commercial operators, including the updating of databases and deployment of telecommunications infrastructure to specific premises, are a matter for these commercial operators and not one in which I have a role, my Department will bring this matter to the attention of ComReg in its role as independent telecommunications regulator.
249. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if highspeed broadband upgrades are to take place in the Dún Laoghaire area particularly, but exclusively, from Patrick Street to Elton Park as currently the broadband service provided by a company (details supplied) is of insufficient strength signal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32563/20]
View answerThe area referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. BLUE areas are not included in the State intervention area covered by the National Broadband Plan as commercial operators are already providing high speed broadband or have indicated future plans to do so. My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard. Notwithstanding this, my Department has raised a query with the relevant service provider asking when network upgrades are planned for the area and I am advised that this location will fall under the upgrade for the Dun Laoghaire area which is currently forecast to begin in April 2021.
250. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications if an Eircode can be assigned to an address (details supplied) in order to receive a broadband connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32660/20]
View answerCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, was awarded a 10 year contract in December 2013 to develop, implement, maintain and promote the National Postcode System "Eircode". Eircodes are assigned to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Ordnance Survey Ireland provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory, a subsidiary company of An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland, issue a new release of the GeoDirectory database file on a quarterly basis to Eircode in accordance with their licence agreement.
Each new postal address assigned an Eircode is published on the free to use Eircode Finder website, a notification letter is issued to the property occupant containing the Eircode of that address and an updated Eircode Database is provided to licenced businesses for their use. Eircode have informed my Department that over 119,600 property addresses have been assigned an Eircode since the launch in 2015.
An Post have informed my officials that they have updated the individual's address data on their systems and this information should then be issued from An Post GeoDirectory to Eircode. My Department has requested Eircode to contact and liaise directly with the individual in question regarding the assignment of an Eircode for this new property address.
251. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the options available to families for the disposal of medical waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32711/20]
View answerIn relation to supports for persons with long-term incontinence, I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question 154 of 22nd September 2020, and note that the position is unchanged. In addition, the MyWaste.ie website has advice for household on managing waste during the current Covid-19 pandemic, including in households where someone is infected or is self-isolating. Full details are available at: https://www.mywaste.ie/coronavirus-and-your-waste/.
The Mywaste.ie website also contains advice on how households should dispose of various waste materials including medical waste such as medicines, inhalers and clinical waste, at the following link https://www.mywaste.ie/page-what-to-do-with/.
252. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications the number of domestic gas and electricity disconnections for failure to pay a bill in each month to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32739/20]
View answerThe electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999. The CRU is an independent statutory Regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas, and not to me as Minister. The CRU regularly publishes market monitoring reports which include details of the number of domestic disconnections for non payment of account. The most recent annual report is available here https://www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CRU20089-Energy-and-Water-Monitoring-Report-for-2019.pdf . The CRU has published the following document "Arrears and NPA Disconnections January – September 2020" at https://www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CRU20127-Arrears-and-NPA-Disconnections-Update.pdf", which includes data for monthly disconnections for non payment of account for the period up to September 2020. This CRU document, already in the public domain, shows that for the period April to June 2020 there were no domestic disconnections. For the period January to end September 2020, the total domestic monthly disconnections, again already available in the public domain, are 1,005 for electricity and 359 for gas. Given the CRU’s responsibilities and statutory functions in respect of consumer protection, among the measures it took to protect consumers in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, was to put in place a temporary moratorium on domestic electricity and gas disconnections on 16 March, which ended on 29 June. Following the recent introduction of level 5 restrictions the CRU has put in place a moratorium on all disconnections of domestic energy customers from 24 October 2020 until 1 December 2020.
More generally, under the supplier led voluntary Energy Engage Code, suppliers will not disconnect a customer who is engaging with them. Suppliers must also provide every opportunity to customers to avoid disconnection and must identify customers at risk of disconnection and encourage them to talk to them as early as possible.
The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on electricity and gas regulatory matters, such as the one raised in this question, directly to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
