Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein)
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I have a couple of questions. It has been a long meeting and I appreciate the witnesses' time.

I will pick up on what Deputy Whitmore said about pricing in and the impact of demand on the prices. Did the EU regulation not clearly stated that reducing electricity demand at national level can have a positive nationwide effect on electricity prices? The EU has already made the connection that between addressing demand as one way of reducing the cost of electricity for customers.

The witnesses spoke about fears around gas arrears and the direction of travel in that regard. Is there a disconnect between the CRU and the SEAI given that the SEAI continues to install fossil-fuel boilers in households that are eligible for 100% grants on the basis that they are the most vulnerable households? They are people on low incomes who receive the fuel allowance or an old age pension. In the past three years, 1,270 fossil-fuel boilers were installed compared with 40 heat pumps. Are we locking people in to the risk of gas? Post the Ukraine war, if we are still installing these boilers in low-income households, what impact will that have? Is the CRU looking at that in the context of gas arrears in the future and people being able to manage their bills?

I have a question on the large energy user, LEU, rebalancing process, which I did not ask in the first round of questions. I welcome the level of detail that will be in the report. When the CRU brings back that report in August will it consult the committee on the tariff review or the mechanism for the refund? The last time there was a tariff review there was a public consultation. Mr. Gannon, in his opening statement, indicated there would not be a public consultation. I understand that would delay the process. Will the CRU engage with the committee or will present it with a fait accomplias regards how the refund will be made?