Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The group's main focus has been on issues around the economic and sectoral regulator authorities, and there are a number of those, including the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, the Commission for Aviation Regulation, the Commission for Energy Regulation, the Financial Regulator, the Competition Authority and the Commission for Taxi Regulation. It has endeavoured to work with all these groups. Deputy Kenny asked about energy in particular. The Commission for Energy Regulation is an independent statutory body established under the Regulation Act of the late 1990s. Since then it has regulated the markets and since 2002 it has regulated the natural gas market too. The commission's functions and duties are wide-ranging and have grown since its establishment under statutory order.

The Government recognises the fundamental role played by the ESB in the economic and social development of the State. However, it is of the view that there is strategic value in maintaining a strong, commercially viable ESB into the future. The Government does not favour the fragmentation of the ESB and that is why it did not agree with the proposals to which Deputy Kenny referred. The European Commission, in the context of the Green Paper on Energy, mooted the establishment of a single regulatory authority to better progress the fully liberalised market agenda. That matter is under discussion and the two regulators, North and South, are preparing a dialogue in the context of the all-Ireland energy market, which is making enormous strides. Development of a single regulatory body is signalled as a long-term strategic goal in the development of the all-Ireland energy market. Examination of the benefits and requirements for the creation of an all-Ireland regulatory body is scheduled for two or three years from now. We are going to move into that area.

On the point relating to the regulator making a decision, the process is long and drawn out and takes a number of months to complete. If the regulator believes that the circumstances have changed, it is a matter for him, under the relevant statute, to deal with the issues. I do not believe he can deal with fluctuations that occur on a weekly basis. The regulator has responsibility for making the decisions to which I refer.

As regards the other regulators and the appeals mechanism, work is ongoing in that regard. The idea is to try to bring uniformity to the kind of mechanisms used by the various regulators. It is not intended to have a super-regulator but rather to ensure that there is consistency in the approaches taken by regulators — not just as such approaches relate to business but to everyone — in the way they operate.

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