Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after 'Dáil Éireann' and substitute the following:

recognising that:

ongoing volatility in energy prices is an EU wide problem with the EU being the largest importer and second largest consumer of energy in the world and that some Member States have substantial indigenous energy resources unlike Ireland;

natural gas and oil are internationally traded commodities and Ireland is essentially a price taker;

global fuel costs are the single greatest cost component in determining electricity and gas prices in Ireland;

improving energy efficiency has been widely agreed internationally as a key mechanism to offset energy price rises, enhance security of supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

increasing the contribution of renewable energy in the Irish fuel mix is the best protection against further fossil fuel price rises; and

rising energy prices further underline the imperative for the Government's range of targeted measures to mitigate potential impacts for those on low incomes;

commends the Government for:

its commitment to delivering on energy policy priorities, including ongoing investment in energy infrastructure, ambitious targets for renewable energy, a substantive increase in energy efficiency, the national roll-out of smart meters and the continued opening up of gas and electricity markets to competition, with resultant benefits to business and domestic consumers;

its commitment to a cohesive and co-ordinated approach to energy affordability issues overseen by an interdepartmental/Agency/Energy Utilities Group established earlier this summer;

its commitment to 358,000 pensioners and other households by providing over €170 million via improvements to the fuel allowance and smokeless fuel supplement in 2008 which help towards their heating, light and cooking costs throughout the year;

its continued commitment to the warmer homes scheme, which has supported community-based organisations to provide nearly 18,000 energy efficiency improvements in low-income households over the past eight years and the doubling of the grant award this year;

its commitment towards improving the quality of local authority housing through the initial provision of €71.4 million in 2008 towards the operation of the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability;

committing €100 million in the Programme for Government to domestic energy efficiency and launching the home energy saving pilot programme in 2008 ahead of a wider roll-out in 2009;

the power of one national energy efficiency awareness campaign which has demonstrably raised consumer and business awareness and educated consumers since 2006 about the financial and environmental benefits of energy savings;

setting ambitious targets in electricity, transport and energy efficiency reflecting European Union targets;

its commitment to the development of European regional energy markets, underpinned by the ongoing delivery to schedule of the east-west and North-South electricity interconnectors, and building on the successful introduction, in partnership with the Northern Ireland authorities, of the all-island single electricity market and current development of common arrangements for gas;

its policy of mitigating our exposure to volatile international fuel prices through enhanced fuel diversity, including new supports for renewable generation and indigenous supply sources;

support to householders of more than €45 million to date to fund the installation of renewable heating projects in over 30,000 homes under the greener homes scheme; and

amending the building regulations to ensure that all new domestic dwellings are 40% more energy efficient;

notes the:

Commission for Energy Regulation's (CER) wide-ranging mandate which includes protecting the interests of energy consumers, particularly vulnerable customers, as well as ensuring security of energy supply and developing competition in electricity and gas markets;

actions taken by the CER to cushion the impact on consumers of unprecedented volatility in international fuel price increases, including the agreement by the CER with the ESB, in the context of the interim price increase from 1 September, on the provision of a rebate of €300 million for all electricity customers, thereby reducing the impact of the next round of price increases and largely addressing the question of windfall gains;

CER's approach to cost reflective tariff setting which is designed to ensure the short and long-term financial viability of the energy sector and to ensure adequate investment in energy infrastructure;

CER's stated intention to hold a public forum as part of the public consultation process on the next round of the ESB and Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) tariff decisions and its ongoing attendance at Oireachtas Committee hearings, including a scheduled appearance before the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on September 30th to discuss energy prices;

major investments in critical energy infrastructure being undertaken or planned by the ESB in electricity distribution, by EirGrid in electricity transmission and by BGE in gas transportation networks, all of which are designed to ensure security of energy supply, underpin economic growth and enhance the delivery of renewable energy, and which are subject to regulatory review by the CER to ensure cost efficient delivery; and

intention to review the non-domestic building regulations in 2010, which will help drive energy efficiencies in the commercial sector.

I wish to share time with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanafin.

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