Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to raise the issue of Carlinn Hall in Dundalk, where approximately 200 houses are in a group heating scheme. This was meant to be renewable energy initially, using biofuel or something, but it ended up being gas. Gas is supplied by Energia at the front line. Gas prices have gone through the roof and are not capped as the group heating scheme is seen as commercial. There is an absolute inefficiency in this system. It is about 50%, meaning that for every 100 units we get 50 units of heat. The rules need to be changed so that the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, CRU, has responsibility. I have spoken to Energia. We need to look at capping this on the basis it is residential rather than commercial. We also need to look at regulations. There are a number of these and I think there are major difficulties. A long-term solution needs to be found but at this stage we need to look at capping the gas price, accepting that these are residential.

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