Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's description of the lack of State capital investment in the national electricity grid; his plans to change this investment levy that households here and businesses are charged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34363/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Neither my Department nor the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment can trace any record of the matter referred to in the question.

I can advise the Deputy that I have no function in the matter of grid investment. ESB Networks and ESB National Grid manage major investment in Ireland's distribution and transmission infrastructure. The Commission for Energy Regulation has recently undertaken a major review of ESB's capital investment programme over the last five years and ESB investment plans over the next five year period. Between 2001 and 2005 over €2.6 billion was invested in the distribution system and a further €500 million in the transmission system.

Investment in the next five year period will be in the region of €2.278 billion for distribution and €520 million for transmission. This investment is vital in order to support the needs of all electricity customers for world class quality and security of supply. It also assists competition in the electricity sector and the growth of renewable energy and regional development, as well as inward investment. There is no history of Government directly funding grid investment in this country.

As is the case in most countries, the grid investment programme is paid for by all customers through electricity tariffs — use of system charges. There are no network levies.