Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
118. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has carried out an examination of the structural factors as to the reason that persons are reluctant to switch energy supplier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22483/22]
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 accountable to the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister.As part of its statutory role, the CRU also has consumer protection functions and monitors energy retail markets to ensure that competition continues to develop for the benefit of the consumer. It also oversees non-price aspects of competition and has taken, and continues to take, steps to increase transparency and consumer engagement in retail markets. The Government fully respects regulatory independence and has done so since the establishment of independent energy regulation. CRU’s most recent Market Monitoring Report is available at: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/211013-Energy-Water-Monitoring-Report-2020.pdfAccording to the ACER-CEER Market Monitoring Report (MMR) 2019 published by ACER and CEER in October 2020, in 2019 Ireland had the sixth highest external switching rate for domestic electricity customers of 14%, while in gas it had the fourth highest external switching rate of 18% for domestic customers across European countries reported on.The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
