Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of the consultation by the Commission for Energy Regulation, ComReg, regarding the public service obligation, PSO, levy on every electricity customer in the country, domestic and non-domestic, whose closing date for submissions is tomorrow at 5 p.m. ComReg proposes an increase of 56% in the PSO levy, which would bring the total collected from customers to approximately €327 million, an average of €63 per customer per year. Why is ComReg allowing the PSO levy to be increased over a four-year period by 250% while international electricity prices are decreasing? The money goes to two main recipients, namely, the country's peat plants and renewable energy. The vast majority of the money goes to fund developers and investors when wind turbines do not go around. When the wind does not blow, the PSO levy collected from all the houses in the country will cover the losses of developers and speculators.

It is outrageous and disgraceful that ComReg is proposing the increase. This is the commission that has been given responsibility for pricing our water. How could anyone have any faith in the organisation? I have made a submission and I call on the Deputy Leader to invite the new Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, whoever it is, to the House next week to discuss the issue. It is totally unacceptable. These faceless people in ComReg came before an Oireachtas committee this week and were able to provide no answers whatsoever on water pricing. Serious questions remain to be asked. There is a conflict of interest in which the Minister is involved. We must have a wider debate on where the PSO levy money goes.