Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

): The Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended, established the Commission for Energy Regulation and set out its functions, powers and duties with respect to the regulation of electricity and downstream gas. This Bill proposes to amend that Act by inserting a new Part which will confer additional similar functions, powers and duties on the commission with regard to the regulation of petroleum safety. These amendments do not represent a policy change in relation to the provisions of the Bill. They propose to ensure that in jurisdictional terms, these new functions, powers and duties are compatible with the existing functions, powers and duties set out in the legislation underpinning the role of the Commission for Energy Regulation.