Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
96. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 118 of 20 September 2022, if a response will issue directly on the question submitted in respect of full-time mobile home residents who have been very unfairly treated with regard to access to the previous energy rebates and possible future rebates. [47441/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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) has been applied to all domestic electricity accounts through April, May and June, including prepay meters. The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. This has been an exceptional measure which used the single eligibility criterion of an electricity meter point registration number (MPRN), to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible this year, without any additional means testing. The payment has been applied to domestic electricity accounts i.e. those 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), as set out in section 1 of the Act. In cases where the households mentioned by the deputies are rental accommodation, where tenants have disputes relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution.
