Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2022
174. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average annual cost of electricity and gas charged to households since 1990 to date; and the way that the cost relates to the average annual EU prices for same in tabular form. [52753/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra175. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has undertaken any research into the effects of the liberalisation on energy prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52754/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra176. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the Commission for Regulation of Utilities ceased to have any role in setting prices for household gas and household electricity prices; his views on whether this move was good policy; if he plans to introduce such a role for the Commission in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52755/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 174 to 176, inclusive, together.
Responsibility for the regulation of the retail electricity and gas markets was assigned to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act and subsequent legislation. CRU ceased price setting for electricity in 2011 and gas in 2014. As part of its statutory role, the CRU also has consumer protection functions and monitors energy retail markets to ensure that competition continues to develop for the benefit of the consumer. In line with this CRU published the following review of competition: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CER17019-Review-of-Competition-in-the-Electricity-and-Gas-Retail-Markets-1.pdf. CRU has followed up on this review with regular Market Monitoring Reports the most recent of which is available at: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/211013-Energy-Water-Monitoring-Report-2020.pdf.
The CRU is accountable to the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister. The CRU also has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members to contact them directly. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) collects data on retail electricity and gas prices. The historical data sought by the Deputy is available on www.seai.ie/publications/Domestic-Fuel-Cost-Archives-ckWh.pdf, while the latest publication by the SEAI is available on www.seai.ie/publications/Price-Directive-2nd-Semester-2020-(ver2).pdf.
