Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2022
166. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 67 of 8 November 2022, if there is any mechanism for persons and families living in multi-resident accommodation in which there are separate electricity meters but only one MPRN number to receive the electricity credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56667/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra167. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 67 of 8 November 2022, if persons and families living in multi-resident accommodation in which there are two MPRN numbers on the one postcode will each receive the full energy credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56668/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.
The Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme payment will be 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). The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure it can be administered automatically and without an application/approval process. This mechanism allowed payments to be made automatically to 2,138,939 domestic electricity accounts (as identified by their individual MPRN), which was over 99.36% of eligible accounts, under the first scheme which operated between April and June of this year. While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the credit directly, others could have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion could have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost. Where tenants have a dispute relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution. As there is not data set identifying this cohort, increasing awareness of entitlements of existing social protection measures, which include provision for help with household bills, is an important way of supporting people in this situation.
