I 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.