Mr. Pat Fenlon:

I am happy to provide a briefing note on standing charges. To put it into context, I remind the Deputy that the standing charge is approximately 15% of the typical end-user bill. I will ask my colleague to come in on the complementary €3 million fund and the number of users.

I will have to come back to the Deputy on outstanding requests for pay-as-you-go meters, unless one of my colleagues has the number to hand. I do not think it is that high but I have not got the exact number to hand.

On off-peak rates, overall rates have gone up but where people have smart meters installed, and more than 900,000 have been installed throughout the country - 400,000 of the customers involved are with us - depending on customers' circumstances, there are a few different options, which we hope will allow many customers to take more control and maybe move to a lower rate where they can. We understand that is not feasible or practical for people in certain circumstances but we are trying to make different options available for customers so they can avail of that. We understand circumstances are different in individual cases.

On the number of users of the fund, it is too early to say for this winter coming because it has just started.