Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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275. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has examined the report on the regulation and inspection of gas installers operating here which was published by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications in July 2015; and if he will appoint an independent expert or consultant to conduct a thorough investigation of the extent of illegal activity regarding gas boilers being installed by persons operating outside of the law as recommended in the report. [23664/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Responsibility for the regulation of gas installers with respect to safety of the electricity and gas markets is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). Under the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 the CER is responsible for regulating the activities of gas undertakings and gas installers with respect to safety. The legislation provides that any gas works carried out on domestic gas installers may be carried out only by a Registered Gas Installer (RGI). Under the energy regulatory framework the CER is accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to the Minister. I therefore do not have any role or function in the matter. Furthermore, paragraph 26 of Schedule 1 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 provides that the CER “shall have regard to any recommendations of such Joint Committee relevant to its functions”.  I am informed that the CER responded in detail by letter dated 29 March 2017 to the Joint Committee in the matter of illegal operators within the gas boiler installation industry, and on the other recommendations contained in the report of the Committee.