Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 6 November 2014 in view of the fact that a decision has yet to be made on the future role of microgeneration in the energy mix, his views that the cessation of the current scheme is disruptive to those working in this fledgling industry; if is he prepared to either ask Electric Ireland to continue the scheme until a review is completed; ask the regulator to oblige other suppliers to introduce the same scheme so that the market may continue uninterrupted until such time as the review has been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44641/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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While this is not a matter in which I, as Minister, have any statutory function, I am aware that Electric Ireland had been offering a micro-generation feed-in tariff since February 2009. No other electricity supplier had 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). I am not aware of the reasons for the decision to discontinue the scheme which would have been a commercial matter for electric Ireland.

Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the CER, which is an independent statutory body.

While Section 10A of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended, provides that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources may give “general policy directions” from time to time, the Minister is expressly precluded from giving any policy direction in respect of any individual undertaking or person.

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 micro-generation 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 micro-generation.