Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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73. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has the power to issue a policy direction to the regulator under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999; and if he has considered the use of this power to address rising electricity prices here. [49008/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Section 10A of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended, sets out the procedure under which the Minister may give “general policy directions”. The legislation sets out details on the tasks and inter-alia timelines, consultation requirements with the independent regulator and Oireachtas, and identifies restrictions on the areas where such directions may not be given.

The electricity and gas markets in Ireland are commercial, liberalised, and competitive, and operate within a European regulatory regime that effectively seeks to end the regulation of electricity and gas retail markets of member states.The position of successive Governments has been that competitive energy markets result in greater choice for consumers and businesses, in terms of suppliers, products and prices. Competition exerts downward pressure on suppliers’ prices.

Responsibility for the regulation of the gas or electricity markets is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which carries out statutory market monitoring functions to ensure that competition continues to develop, and that customers benefit from competition. Two reports published by the regulator this year conclude that Irish energy markets are competitive, with the most recently available EU comparable electricity and gas supplier switching data also pointing towards a competitive Irish market. The CRU is an independent statutory body, and solely accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas for the performance of its functions.

The regulation of retail market prices for electricity in Ireland ended in 2011 and for gas prices in 2014. The Government has no statutory function in the monitoring or setting of electricity prices, with the main thrust of Government policy on energy costs focused on the competitive market and supports for energy efficiency. Government policy , consistent with EU Legislation has supported competition  to drive down prices, and data from approved price comparison sites (and ) shows that consumers can make significant savings by switching energy suppliers. Accordingly, attempting to revert to price controls is not considered an appropriate option.