Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 October 2022
154. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans, if any, to engage with the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities to seek a reversal of charges (details supplied) given the current energy-cost crisis and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53992/22]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is the independent regulator. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. The CRU is, under statute, accountable for the performance of its functions to a Committee of the Oireachtas. It provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, oireachtas@cru.ie, which enables them raise questions on electricity and gas regulatory matters such that raised in the question, with CRU, for timely direct reply.
Section 35 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 specifically provides that CRU may give directions to the System operator in relation to those specific charges. Accordingly, the matter of the deferral of network charges is for the CRU in the performance of its functions as the independent regulator under the regulatory framework. EU Member States must guarantee the independence of their respective energy regulators, which are expressly forbidden from taking direct instructions from a government, or any public body, when performing their regulatory functions.
