Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
99. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he intends introducing legislation equalising the standing charge for domestic electricity between urban and rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19773/23]
View answerThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) was assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation and has statutory responsibility for the compliance by energy suppliers with their consumer protection obligations. The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the CRU. 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, including standing charges 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. Within a competitive environment, providers also have costs such as staffing, Tax, infrastructure, and cost of Network Tariffs which in turn affects end users’ bills. CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
Question No. 100 answered orally.
