Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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552. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Electric Ireland has announced that it will no longer buy electricity from residential properties generating electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind, which will impact residential customers who will lose 9 cent/kWh export tariff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43047/14]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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555. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding renewable electricity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43214/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 552 and 555 together.

While this is a matter in which I, as Minister, have no statutory function, I am aware that Electric Ireland has been offering a micro generation feed in tariff since February 2009. No other electricity supplier has chosen to provide such a tariff, to either domestic or commercial customers, though they have been invited to do so by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the CER, which is an independent statutory body.

I am aware of the need to give further policy consideration to the place of microgeneration in our energy mix. Analysis of the potential of microgeneration technologies such as small scale wind, solar and small scale hydro, has been carried out for my Department by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The SEAI's findings, along with responses to the recent consultation on the Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland, will inform future policy on the provision of any market support for microgeneration.