Written Answers Nos. 70-74
70. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to cancer patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9343/24]
View answerAs part of Budget 2024 Government approved a new tranche of emergency Electricity Credits which over 2.2 million households will benefit from - worth €450 in total per household. This is an emergency measure, having regard to the impact of the war In Ukraine on energy prices.
Three payments of €150 (including VAT) are being made between December 2023 and April 2024.
The payments are being applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2).
In addition, vulnerable customers who are critically dependent on electrically powered equipment, cannot be disconnected for non-payment of account at any time. It is important that people who are in such situations contact their energy supplier to register with them as a vulnerable customer. Their energy supplier will then notify ESB Networks, which maintains a Vulnerable Customer Register.
Suppliers are also required to ensure that all registered vulnerable customers are on the most economic tariff available for their chosen payment method and billing format.
Under the Solar PV for medically vulnerable Scheme, grant support will be provided to over 3,000 customers on the priority services register to install solar PV systems at their homes, in order to meet some of their electricity requirements.
Any individual that is in need of additional support may apply for an Additional Needs Payment provided by the Department of Social Protection, who have a need for financial assistance. Every effort will be made to ensure that these vulnerable individuals in financial distress, and who qualify, receive an Additional Needs Payment on the same day or as soon as possible where it relates to electricity and heating expenses.
In addition, customers struggling with their bills are strongly encouraged to engage with their supplier, directly or through as third-party representative. Suppliers will not disconnect customers that continue to engage with them and suppliers have additional customers supports in place, including hardship funds. to meet costs of essentials such as energy.
71. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to review correspondence regarding energy grants (details supplied); if it is correct that this person is omitted from applying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8630/24]
View answerAs part of Budget 2024, Government approved the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme III. Over 2.2 million households in the Republic of Ireland will benefit from this scheme, totalling €450 per household.
The payment is applied to domestic electricity accounts which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2). This includes accounts with pre-pay meters. The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure it can be administered automatically and without an application. ESB networks, the electricity distribution system operator (DSO), operates the scheme by virtue of its existing interface with all electricity suppliers. ESBN makes payments to the individual energy suppliers, who then credit individual domestic electricity accounts. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is charged with oversight of the scheme.
Unfortunately, in the situation set out in the Question, ESB Networks are unable to identify a MPRN and the household is therefore ineligible for the electricity credit payment.
72. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reasons he has delayed sanctioning the SEAI to proceed with a bespoke scheme for participants in the defective concrete blocks scheme (details supplied). [8642/24]
View answerHomeowners eligible for works under the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) scheme may apply for energy upgrade grants administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Homeowners’ whose applications are in line with the existing SEAI Scheme criteria and guidelines can access SEAI grants in line with the usual application processes that apply. Further information in that regard is available at Energy Efficient Homes - Home Energy Upgrades And Grants | SEAI.
My Department and SEAI are aware however of the particular issues arising for DCB homeowners that do not currently comply with the SEAI scheme terms and conditions. Examples of such situations include homeowners that previously received SEAI grant support to upgrade a home which now needs to be demolished due to defective concrete block and now wish to avail of further SEAI grant supports for their new home.
The Department is working with SEAI to develop an approach to address these matters. SEAI submitted its most recent proposals to the Department at the end of January regarding how such applications can be managed as seamlessly as possible. The Department is actively engaging with SEAI in relation to the proposals which are expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
SEAI continues to engage directly with impacted homeowners on a case by case basis to discuss their particular circumstances. A specific page on the SEAI website provides further information for DCB affected homeowners (Defective Concrete Blocks Affected Homeowners | Individual Energy Upgrades | SEAI). Homeowners can also contact the SEAI at a dedicated DCB phone number 01-8082004 or by email at dcb@seai.ie.
73. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if fibre broadband service will be provided to an area (details supplied) as part of the current roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8671/24]
View answerIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028,
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023.
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. My advisors have checked this premises with Openeir and according to their records this premises is capable of receiving fibre broadband speeds of up to 1Gb.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the DECC webform at: secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx and DECC will escalate with open eir to investigate this matter further.
The Department expects that the majority of the Blue area of the NBP Map will be served with high-speed broadband from commercial operators. The European Electronics Communications Code (EECC) requires a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) to be implemented by Member States, which provides an assurance that all premises can access a high-speed broadband connection. This provides another tool to help deliver upon the NBP’s policy objectives that every home and business in the country will have access to high-speed broadband.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over over 1.1 million homes. SIRO has recently reached a milestone of enabling over 545,000 premises for full fibre and is on track to reach 700,000 premises by 2026. Virgin Media recently announced a €200 million investment plan to upgrade its cable network to bring full fibre to up to 1 million premises over the next three years, to date it has passed 252,000 premises with full fibre.
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2 of 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing substantially as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c. 40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
74. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 14 February 2024 (details supplied), the accessibility of the deposit return scheme; if any disability advocacy organisations were consulted on the accessibility of the deposit return scheme in advance of its roll-out; the formation of the consultative group to ensure concerns are heard and addressed; when this group was formed and how many times it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8679/24]
View answerThe Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been in development for a number of years. To inform the design of the scheme, the Department undertook two public consultations, the first in October 2020 and a second in April 2021, which provided all organisations with an opportunity to submit their views to the Department on a how DRS should operate.
As I mentioned in Parliamentary Question No. 68 of 14th February 2024, Re-turn, the DRS operator, continues to engage widely with all stakeholders and has committed to review accessibility practices considering the needs of consumers.
This review includes working with the National Disability Authority. The Authority is supporting Re-turn in the establishment of a consultative group to ensure that the concerns of all parties, in particular those who have difficulties accessing the DRS and in returning bottles and cans, are heard and addressed.
I understand Re-Turn intends to convene the first meeting of this forum in the second half of March and has invited a number of disability organisations to assist in a review of the scheme’s infrastructure.
