Written answers

Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Energy Policy

Photo of Michael ColreavyMichael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures he has taken at a European level to tackle fuel poverty. [31751/15]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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The protection of consumers vulnerable to energy poverty is a critical element of both EU and national energy policy.As the Deputy may be aware, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is preparing a new Affordable Energy Strategy following a public consultation held earlier this year. As part of this work, officials are participating in the European Commission's Vulnerable Consumers Working Group having participated in the Energy Citizens Forum held in London in March of this year. I welcome this European Commission initiative along with the publication by the Commission in July of this year of their Communication "Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers".

That Commission Communication is a supporting policy document to the Energy Union Framework Strategy which sets out the vision of an Energy Union "with citizens at its core, where citizens take ownership of the energy transition, benefit from new technologies to reduce their bills, participate actively in the market, and where vulnerable consumers are protected".

"Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers" identified energy poverty as an important issue requiring Member State action. The Communication also identified energy efficiency as the best way to address energy poverty in the long term, while recognising that this must take place in the wider context of action on poverty. It is the stated position of the Commission that the citizen must be at the heart of the new Energy Union. This means that both the EU, and Member States, must find more effective ways to address energy poverty as part of the action also needed to support and empower energy consumers. The Minister will continue to push for energy poverty to be kept high on the EU energy agenda, and ensure that improving the energy efficiency of homes of those vulnerable to energy poverty remains central to Ireland’s Better Energy Programme.

The Minister expects to publish the new Affordable Energy Strategy around the end of this year.

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