Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

604. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of recent strong criticism of the performance of the Commission for Energy Regulation in relation to CER’s failure to investigate retail electricity prices for consumers; his views on a fundamental reform of the governing legislation and operating structure of the Commission. [4893/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is Ireland’s independent energy regulator. The CER was established in 1999 and has a wide range of economic, customer protection and safety responsibilities in the energy sector. The CER is also Ireland's economic regulator of the public water and wastewater sector.While the CER is entirely independent in the execution of its statutory duties, I am satisfied that it carries out its statutory duties to the highest standard.

The Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland, published in May 2014, sought views on the conduct of a review of the regulatory framework. The responses to that consultation are being considered and will be taken into account in developing our future energy policy. The White Paper on Energy Policy will be published in September and will include a commitment to review the regulatory framework and the CER mandate.

I am acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by families and businesses from high energy prices. While electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive, and operate within national and European regulatory regimes, I intend to meet with the CER later this week to discuss recent developments.

The CER was assigned the function of market monitoring under the European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulation 2010 (S.I. 450 of 2010) under which they are charged with advising me, inter alia, on rates of customer switching, disconnection rates, customer complaints and whether the development and operation of competition in the supply of electricity is benefiting final customers. As part of the CER’s function under those Regulations, I intend to get its advice on whether customers are benefiting from competition and on the perceived slowness with which energy suppliers have passed wholesale price reductions on to consumers. I will also be seeking CER’s advice as to what can be done to address the high proportion of customers that have never switched suppliers.

I welcome the recent announcement of major suppliers to reduce domestic gas and electricity prices and I am encouraging other suppliers to pass savings on to their customers. As with any competitive market, it is hugely important that consumers would shop around to ensure that they get the best price and I would encourage all consumers to either switch supplier or to contact their current supplier to ensure that the best available deal is being provided.