Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I support this aspect of Deputy Durkan's motion. I have tried to propose a number of key changes to the National Oil Reserves Agency Bill 2006, which we considered last week and which will come before the House again shortly, to try to ensure that the needs of consumers — small businesses and householders — are taken into account. I have tabled an amendment to propose that a key consumer panel be established within CER. Under the proposal, the three commissioners — there are just two at present — would have to take the views of the panel strongly into account. They should not be able to gloss over concerns of this nature. They should not be able to tell the joint committee that they are basically giving money to the utilities for increases last year and the year before. It has to be said that profitable companies seem to have been able to manage such matters. The ESB and Bord Gáis Éireann have made bumper profits in recent years, despite the so-called oil increases.

I strongly back Deputy Durkan's call for a full review of the regulatory arrangements which have led to the sanctioning of unjustified price increases. A number of organisations in the United Kingdom have been established by the Government there to represent the people in respect of energy costs, particularly in a deregulated market. One of these interesting bodies is Energywatch, which has been put in place on a statutory basis on behalf of the people. It is able to draw constant attention to what is happening in the gas, electricity, oil and car fuel sectors. The Labour Party has long advocated the inclusion of a consumer panel and other mechanisms within the institutional structure of CER to ensure there is an adequate reflection of consumer views in energy pricing policy. That is something we will ask the House to vote on over the next week or so.

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