Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
124. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if landlords with multiple tenants in the same building, all who have different energy meters, are to split the €200 energy allowance amongst the tenants or if every tenant should receive €200 each. [22545/22]
View answerThe Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) which suppliers began applying in April, will be applied to remaining domestic electricity accounts through May and June, and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget, as well as more recent measures announced by Government to deal with rising energy costs.The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, without any additional means testing. The payment will only be applied to domestic electricity accounts on the basis of there being one MPRN per account, and will be made to the account rather than an individual. While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the credit directly, others would have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion would have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost.Where tenants have a disputes relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution.
