Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, I thank the Deputies for providing the opportunity to discuss the important topic of gas safety. Both of them articulated how important gas safety is from a health and safety perspective. We all know the television advertisements, which are very effective.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is Ireland's independent energy regulator and has statutory responsibility for the regulation of gas installers with respect to safety. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications does not have any role or function in the regulation of gas installers or the setting of associated fees.

The process whereby the Commission for Regulation of Utilities addresses this important aspect of its safety remit is under section 9 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended. This sets out that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has responsibility to regulate the activities of gas undertakings and gas installers with respect to safety.

In 2015, having carried out both a consultation process and a public procurement process, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities appointed the Register of Gas Installers of Ireland, known as the RGII, as the safety supervisory body to carry out this function on its behalf for the seven-year period from 2016 to 2022. Any person wishing to carry out gas works, as defined under SI 225 of 2009 and SI 299 of 2011 is required by law to register as a registered gas installer with RGII. It is an offence under the Act for an individual or company to portray itself as a registered gas installer unless they are registered under this scheme. I take Deputy O'Sullivan's point that unlicensed people are still apparently carrying out this role.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities recently approved an increase of €1.20 for the price of registered gas installer certificate No. 3, effective from 1 October 2020. This increases the price from €1.80 to €3. This is the first certificate price rise since the start of the registered gas installer scheme in 2009 and it affects certification No. 3 only. As I have stated, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications does not have any function in this matter which is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

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