Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2022
152. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has interim plans to regulate heating costs for district heating customers who pay for domestic energy at a commercial rate this winter, in advance of receiving the recommendations of the new steering group on district heating. [58536/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities has been appointed as regulator for district heating networks and will be responsible for development of appropriate regulation of the sector going forward. Central to the regulation of the sector will be the recommendations of the District Heating Steering Group. This Steering Group has been examining, among other things, the economic regulation and consumer protection needs of the district heating sector and smaller scale group heating schemes. The Group is working to have its initial report prepared by year end.
In addition, to identify alternative heat sources for group heating schemes in particular, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has initiated a programme of pilot feasibility studies to examine the technical potential of moving those schemes fuelled by natural gas to a renewable energy source. It is anticipated that initial results will be available in the New Year.
More broadly, to help alleviate the impact of the rising cost of living, the Government has already put in place a series of measures, with funding of €2.4 billion available.
A further package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion was announced in Budget 2023, including the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme II. Primary and secondary enabling legislation has since been put in place, with the first of three €200 electricity credits (inclusive of VAT) being paid directly to over 2.2 million domestic electricity accounts from November 2022. While not all consumers use gas, electricity is supplied to all households. The Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit payment is, therefore, not being applied to domestic gas accounts on the basis that it is intended to be a universal support to all households.
