Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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80. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to report on the outcome of his recent meeting with our largest energy companies, on 26 September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59711/25]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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Will the Minister report on the outcome of his recent meetings with the largest energy companies in September and make a statement on the matter?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister, I meet with a range of stakeholders on important topics including energy prices, which is one of the most pressing. I can confirm that I have met with both the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, which is assigned consumer protection functions under the Electricity Regulation Act, and energy suppliers since being appointed as Minister. On 26 September 2025, I met with the four biggest energy suppliers in Ireland, Electric Ireland, Bord Gáis Energy, SSE Airtricity and Energia, at separate meetings. In addition to my interactions, my officials meet with suppliers on a regular basis. I intend to meet the other smaller energy providers like Yuno and others which have not increased their energy prices this year.

Following my engagement with them I have received confirmation that hardship funds for those struggling to meet their energy costs will be made available to households this winter. That was a direct request that I put to them. They acceded to that request and I am grateful for that. I stated in response to a previous question that direct measures by way of assistance, particularly to those who need it most, were brought forward in the budget. The energy companies need to play their part too. Arrears levels are too high. I am questioning some of those arrears, particularly on gas. I think there is an issue with some of the data there that needs to be worked through. It was a good meeting.

The CRU has also published enhanced customer protection measures for this winter. For the upcoming winter period, some of the key customer protection measures that will remain in place include a disconnection moratorium for reasons of non-payment, minimum timelines for debt repayment plans, discounted tariffs for financial hardship meter customers and a promotion by energy suppliers of the vulnerable customer register, which is critically important. I would encourage people who feel they are in that space to make sure they are on the vulnerable customer register. That is in addition to existing sources of support such as fuel allowance, the household benefits package and the additional needs payment scheme operated under the Department of Social Protection.

I will come back with further details in a supplementary.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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We are all aware that electricity prices are crushing many families across the country at the moment. They are so high. We have among the highest electricity prices in Europe. Recently we were told by the International Energy Agency that our retail prices are three times higher than our wholesale prices. The savings the energy companies are making on wholesale energy are not being passed through to customers. We are seeing continual rises from the companies of between €120 to €220 on average bills, and that is despite their own costs going down. There is a question as to whether these companies are gouging customers. Indeed, the Government's interim report, the affordability report, made a recommendation that the CRU investigate price gouging by these companies. Did the Minister speak to these companies about price gouging and about them actually reducing their prices, not helping people pay their extortionate prices but reducing the prices for ordinary families across the country?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to acknowledge that the largest energy retailer, Electric Ireland, did not increase its prices. I did discuss those very matters with the four companies in relation to their margins. The IEA report looked at the margin between retail and wholesale. It is not that the retail price is three times higher in Ireland than in other places. It is the margin. There are specific, unique characteristics to Ireland, particularly in relation to us being an island nation, the reliance that we still have on imported fossil, which we need to reduce further, and the fact that our energy retailers hedge and purchase forward. When we see a wholesale price decrease, I can fully understand people asking why the retail price does not come down straight away. The energy companies buy forward and they hedge. They will have purchased energy ten or 12 months ahead in some instances. That is why we do not see that decrease happening as quickly as we would like. I will continue to meet with the energy retailers on a regular basis. I have interrogated their pricing structure and I will be bringing forward further measures in the final energy affordability report, which I will publish in 2026.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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In 2020, the average electricity bill was €976. It is currently €1,877. There is no way that is justifiable, even considering the special circumstances that Ireland faces and considering what happened in Ukraine. People are paying twice what they were paying five years ago and, as I said, the price that the companies are paying for wholesale energy is going down. It is now 75% lower than in 2022. Those savings should be passed on to customers and those companies are not doing it. It has been recommended by the Government's own affordability agency that the energy regulator conduct an investigation into price gouging by those energy companies. Will the Minister direct the energy regulator to put in place that investigation into price gouging by those large retailers and the energy companies?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy understands how the energy markets work. I am just stating it factually in relation to the time lag between wholesale price decreases and retail price decreases. There are unique attributes to Ireland. That said, energy costs are too high and we need to bring those prices down permanently. We are affected by geopolitical issues. Ukraine has had an effect, absolutely. Europe has had to pivot away, and rightly so, from dependence on Russian gas and oil. We are still importing a significant amount of our energy from third countries. That is why the expansion of renewables is so critically important, which we are seeing. There was another successful option just a number of weeks ago for onshore and the delivery of additional electricity, our electricity, our energy that is clean and generated here.

To answer the Deputy's question, work is ongoing on pricing. It is something I am watching very closely. That is why I have met the companies directly myself. It is important to acknowledge that the largest retailer has not increased its prices. We need to get prices down. We will do that by continuing to diversify our electricity market and electricity generation. That is why grid investment is so critical, including things like the North-South interconnector. If that was built, it would bring down energy prices for every household and every business pretty much straight away. Projects like that need to be delivered.