Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

908. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the relevant sections of Acts under his Department that specify a public service obligation on service providers or allow for such an obligation to be specified by secondary legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29137/15]

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

In relation to energy, the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy is the method through which customers support the national policy of ensuring security of our energy supplies and the development of renewable electricity in Ireland. It is charged to all customers and is designed to compensate suppliers for the additional costs they incur by meeting obligations to purchase electricity from indigenous (i.e. peat), sustainable and renewable sources. The legal basis and method of calculation for the PSO levy are set out in the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Section 39) and its operation is outlined in S.I. 217 of 2002. The Communications and Postal sectors use the Universal Service Obligation concept. The European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and Users’ Rights) Regulations 2011 (SI 337/2011) confer a statutory authority on the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg) to designate one or more electronic communications service providers as a Universal Service Provider/s (USP/s). The designation of a USP/s ensures public access to basic telephony services, including voice, fax and functional internet access, at any fixed location and associated support services including access to directory services and geographically averaged pricing. Additional USP obligations apply to provide equivalence of access to these basic services for disabled users. Eircom is the currently designated universal service provider.

Under section 17 (1) of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011, An Post is designated as the universal postal service provider in Ireland for a period of 12 years.