Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 January 2022
158. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he is taking to support small shop owners who are facing increasing electricity and utility costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2797/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraRecent price rises are driven primarily by rising international gas prices where Ireland is a price taker. The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity and gas markets following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), 1999. The CRU is an independent statutory regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas.In line with long standing policy on deregulating price setting, CRU ended its regulation of retail prices in the electricity market in 2011, and in the gas market in 2014. Given that prices are no longer regulated, they are set by all suppliers as entirely commercial and operational matters by them. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base.The policy position of successive Governments, has been that competitive energy markets result in greater choice for consumers and businesses, in terms of suppliers, products and prices and to support competition to drive down prices. Data from approved price comparison sites shows that consumers can make significant savings by switching energy suppliers. In terms of supports for small business owners, the supports - focussed more towards SME’s - are the following:
- Support Scheme for Energy Audits. It supports SMEs with a €2,000 voucher towards the costs of a professional energy audit.
- The Communities Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme. It makes grant funding available for community-based partnerships to improve the energy efficiency of the building stock in their area.
- Training (SEAI Energy Academy), information and advisory service, access to energy auditing services and case studies of best practice.
Full details on these and other supports are available are available at www.seai.ie/business-and-public-sector/.
