Written Answers Nos. 160-167
161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which he and his Department have identified the reasons given by energy providers for recent price increases to the consumer; the extent to which such reasons are directly attributable to any particular issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55628/22]
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, including the matters raised by your question, 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.
In line with long standing policy on deregulating price setting, CRU ended its regulation of retail prices in the electricity market in 2011, and in the gas market in 2014. Price setting by electricity suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.
The most immediate factor affecting electricity and gas retail prices in Ireland is high international gas prices where we are a price taker. Gas prices have been driven to unprecedentedly high levels by the volatility in the international gas market caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
I have met with the CRU and suppliers on safeguards and practical ways to protect pay-as-you-go customers.
Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. This is why a €2.4 billion package of supports was implemented during 2022, and a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion included in Budget 2023. The Budget package includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023 and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.
Along with the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme Budget 2023 also introduced measures including:
· €400 lump sum payment to Fuel Allowance recipients· €200 lump sum payment for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase· €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all families getting Working Family Payment· double payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children· €500 cost of living payment for people receiving Carer's Support Grant will be paid in November· €500 lump sum cost of living disability support grant will be paid to all people receiving a long term disability payment.
162. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which domestic waste is currently referred for incineration or landfill sites; the intended progression in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55629/22]
View answerEuropean, national and regional waste management policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in Article 4 of the 2008 Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), whereby the prevention, preparing for reuse, recycling and other recovery of waste are preferred options to the disposal or landfilling of waste.
The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy launched in September 2020 shifts the focus away from waste management to a fuller reconsideration of how we use resources and materials. The measures in the Plan are intended to minimise the amount of waste generated, eliminating waste before it can be created and diverting as much as possible to beneficial reuse or recovery and will help us deliver on our targets.
Significantly more residual waste is now used as a fuel (energy recovery) than disposed to landfill. Further information is available at www.epa.ie/nationalwastestatistics/municipal/.
163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the percentage of electricity generation in this country now relying on non-fossil fuel sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55630/22]
View answer164. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the national electricity grid is currently made up of alternative forms of electricity generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55631/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.
The percentage of non-fossil fuel electricity generation over the period January to September 2022 is approximately 37.6%.
This data is publicly available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland at the following link: www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/monthly-energy-data/electricity/
165. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes to be retrofitted to B2 equivalent by 2030 in order to meet Government targets of 500,000, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55662/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government and Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal level and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by end-2030. This represents approximately 30% of the housing stock and is among the most ambitious retrofit programmes worldwide. An allocation of €8 billion to the end of the decade, as set out in the National Development Plan and National Retrofit Plan, underlines the Government’s commitment to achieving these targets.
Latest data provided to my Department by the SEAI indicates that, the total number of homes completed for all grant schemes to end of September is 16,207 and of these 5,259 reached a BER B2 or better.
The National Retrofit Plan estimates that, between 2019 and 2025, almost 185,000 home energy upgrades will be delivered with over 83,000 to a B2/cost optimal level. When the emissions savings from the non-B2 upgrades are included, this is the equivalent of 120,000 B2 upgrades over the period. As a result, there will be a need to deliver on average, approximately 75,000 B2-equivalent home upgrades per year from 2026 to 2030 to achieve the overall target of 500,000 by 2030.
166. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the low-interest loans to enable homes to retrofit will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55663/22]
View answerMy Department is working with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland and the European Investment Bank to develop a residential retrofit loan guarantee scheme. The scheme is part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and will be co-funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and Exchequer funding. It will also be backed by a counter guarantee provided by the EIB. The loan guarantee will provide risk protection to retail credit institutions participating in the scheme. This will enable credit institutions to offer loans with reduced interest rates to private homeowners and non-corporate landlords and make comprehensive home energy efficiency upgrades more affordable to consumers. This approach will signal to the banking sector, new sustainable business opportunities associated with retrofit and the transition to a low carbon economy as well as increasing the volume of retrofit activity within the State. It is anticipated that the Scheme will provide a lending portfolio of up to €500 million.
Significant progress has been made to date with the "Invitation for Pre-Qualification Stage" to identify interested 'On-Lenders' concluded and the "Invitation for Award Stage" underway. The latter is an important milestone in the development of the scheme as it will determine how much of the guaranteed loan portfolio will be allocated to each 'On-Lender'. It will also set out the interest rate pricing approach under the scheme. It is expected that the loans under the guarantee will be available early next year.
167. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an outline of the regulations and inspections that are in place to ensure that retrofitting and energy efficiency works undertaken by private contractors are of a high standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55664/22]
View answerAs the retrofit industry transforms to accommodate much higher levels of output in line with our national targets, quality must be maintained at a high level to ensure value for money for the taxpayers and to sustain consumer confidence and demand. Contractors operating under any scheme supported by an SEAI grant must carry out the works in line with the SEAI’s Contractor Code of Practice and Domestic Technical Standards and Specifications as well as best practice and technical guidance documents including:
- NSAI S.R. 54:2014 Code of practice for the energy efficient retrofit of dwellings
- Building Regulations Technical Guidance Documents
- The System Supplier/Product Manufacturer Guidelines
- NSAI Agrément certificates
- Irish, British or European Standards GuidesA Declaration of Works must be signed by both the homeowner and the contractor certifying completion of works. Post-works Building Energy Ratings are also carried out by independent BER assessors. In addition, contractors are required to demonstrate their tax compliance and insurance cover and cooperate with the scheme's Quality Assurance programme. The Quality Assurance programme has been designed by SEAI to maintain high standards of contractor workmanship; build consumer confidence; monitor health and safety; and ensure proper governance of the spending of public money. Regular inspections of works are undertaken on a risk-based approach in accordance with international best practice. When sub-standard works are found, contractors are required to rectify the works to the satisfaction of the inspector, at no cost to the homeowner.
The SEAI carries out verification inspections on grant aided works on a sample basis to ensure grants are paid in accordance with SEAI’s terms and conditions. Inspections may take the form of site inspections where an Inspector verifies the works completed on site, or a desktop audit where documentary and photographic evidence is reviewed to substantiate the works that have been completed.
As part of SEAI’s Code of Practice all contractors are required to resolve complaints. If a customer is not satisfied with the works completed, contractors must make every reasonable effort to resolve the complaint to the customer’s and SEAI’s satisfaction.The SEAI deals with all complaints received appropriately and this informs the risk-based approach to inspections. The case by case review of any complaints may inform desk based investigations and/or site visits where deemed appropriate. SEAI operate under a Customer Charter and a complaints and appeals procedure is in place. If after following this procedure an applicant is not satisfied with the outcome, they can ask the Office of the Ombudsman for an independent review of the complaint. Further details are available here: www.seai.ie/customer-charter/
