Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for the very helpful contributions they made in the debate and I am pleased to have an opportunity to respond. As I said in my opening remarks, this is an issue of national importance which is recognised by the committee in the work it has done to bring the report forward. The safety of domestic natural gas consumers and the public in general is of paramount importance to all of us. We as legislators and public representatives must ensure safety is placed high on the agenda in so far as it is within our remit to do so. That said, I know Deputies understand the operational matters raised in the course of the report are outside my legal responsibility as Minister. Nevertheless, I repeat I have every confidence in the manner in which the regulator is discharging its responsibilities.

In my earlier reply to the Chairman, I recalled that the CER said at a committee hearing in February last that it operates on the basis of continual improvement and that its gas safety regime is subject to continual review to determine where improvements can be made. It is committed to working with all stakeholders to improve continually the gas installer regulatory model in Ireland.

Deputies will agree that from what has been publicly stated, the CER has engaged fully with the issues raised in the report. To recap, the CER has stated informal surveys of the extent of illegal activity have been carried out. It has engaged with the Central Statistics Office to attempt to assess the extent of the numbers involved, engaged with merchants to propose the introduction of a voluntary scheme to restrict the sale of gas boilers to registered gas installers, asked merchants to display publicity material at sales counters to reinforce the message to the public of the benefits of using a registered gas installer, and engaged with Insurance Ireland on the proposal that insurance cover should be made conditional on boilers being installed and serviced by registered gas installers. This is a matter of public record. Nevertheless, I remind the House that the CER's accountability for carrying out its functions in this area, as for all its remit, is not to me as Minister, but rather it is solely accountable to the committee. Therefore, in light of the CER's independent regulatory role in gas safety, its views and recommendations would be most relevant and helpful in the ongoing debate on the report.

I note that a number of points were made in the very helpful contributions of the Deputies. Deputy Moynihan asked whether there are sufficient powers in the legislation. There is always room for Members of the Oireachtas, particularly the relevant committee, to discuss whether powers set out in legislation are strong enough, but I do not see in the report any general objection to the powers or remit of the CER. The report makes two suggestions on legislative change on quite specific matters. It proposes a legislative change to provide that gas boilers only be sold to registered gas installers or to consumers who provide evidence of having engaged a registered individual. It also suggests that a legislative requirement might be considered to make it mandatory for merchants to display material publicly at points of sale. These are two specific suggestions to which I have responded in my earlier remarks. It is fair to say the report does not draw attention to any general deficit in the legislation in respect of the overall regulatory powers of the CER. With regard to the CER itself, and not only in the context of the recommendation regarding an independent expert, I state strongly to colleagues that the CER has expertise available to it and draws on it, and the CER is independent. If we look for expertise and independence, they are both to be found in the CER and how it works. These are my observations on what has been said.

I draw the attention of the House to a particular area. I have said that many of these matters are not within my remit as Minister, but the Department is involved in gas safety through its support for the operation of the gas technical standards committee, GTSC, which is a consultative committee of the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, with which Deputies are undoubtedly familiar. The Department provides financial, technical and administrative support for the GTSC's work. It was formed in 1981 and comprises people from the gas industry, the Government, the education sector and consultancy and various State bodies who have given their time and expertise to progress the work of the GTSC. I acknowledge the work of these many individuals, including many retired individuals, who provide their services to the GTSC pro bono. The work of the GTSC in the area of gas safety standards is largely done away from the public gaze but it is, nevertheless, important work. Standards make things work properly and ensure public safety.

I thank the Chairman and members of the joint committee for their very valuable report.

The valuable and important work the committee does is manifest in this report. I again encourage the committee to engage directly with the CER and elicit its further views on the recommendations contained in the report.

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