I propose to take Questions Nos. 146, 148, 150 to 152, inclusive, 156 and 164 together.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector, following enactment if the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation.
While CRU is financed by means of a levy on regulated entities, it must receive approval from the Minister of Environment, Climate & Communications and the Minister of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform, in consultation with the Department of Housing Local Government & Heritage, for staffing levels.
The latest such approval has been given, in full, for the CRU three-year workforce plan, which includes 74 new whole time equivalent positions to meet its objective sunder the Strategic Plan 2022-2024.
|
€’000
|
Staff Salaries
|
8,364
|
Employee PRSI
|
823
|
SEM Committee Fees
|
49
|
Recruitment and Training
|
293
|
Staff Travel and Subsistence
|
105
|
Total
|
9,634
|
Further details, such as employee benefits breakdown, can be found in CRU’s Annual Report 2022 cruie-live-96ca64acab2247eca8a850a7e54b-5b34f62.divio-media.com/documents/CRU_Annual_Report_2022.pdf CRU estimate they will have a total of 136 FTE staff by the end of 2023.
CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members atoireachtas@cru.ie, which enables them to raise more specific operational and resourcing matters directly to the CRU.
I have asked that CRU respond directly to the Deputy's queries directly.