Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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67. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the analyses that have been undertaken by his Department on Irish energy prices which are one of the highest compared to other EU member states. [41835/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Responsibility for the regulation and monitoring of electricity markets is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is the independent energy regulator. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is the lead organisation for the submission of Irish data on electricity and gas prices to Eurostat, and also publishes reports and analysis of these statistics twice yearly. The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) publishes reports on various business costs, including on electricity price statistics with commentary and analysis.

In the area of electricity prices, CRU carries out statutory market monitoring functions and has the responsibility to ensure the market operates competitively for the benefit of the consumer, under various relevant Statutory Instruments. In February 2017 the CRU published its “Review of Competition in the Electricity and Gas Retail Markets: A Consumer Focused Assessment”, in line with its competition and consumer protection functions and reflecting a CRU commitment in the energy policy White Paper to publish a consumer focussed assessment of the development of competition in retail markets. This report, as well as CRU’s quarterly “Electricity and Gas Retail Markets Reports”, published since 2010, are available on the CRU website. I am periodically provided with briefing and commentary on these publications.

The CRU’s review of competition in the electricity and gas retail markets makes a number of detailed findings, specifically in relation to consumer engagement, consumer protection, market entry and prices. It concludes by making a number of proposals to address the issues identified within the report, and it will be important that the outcomes of these proposals both for consumers and for competition are analysed and assessed in due course.

In this regard I must reiterate that the CRU is accountable for the performance of its functions to a Committee of the Oireachtas, and not to me the Minister or indeed the Government.