Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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770. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the implementation of the EU third energy package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30497/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Third Energy Package was adopted in July 2009, and comprised two Directives and three Regulations: Directive 2009/72/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity; Directive 2009/73/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas; Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 on conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity; Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks; and Regulation (EC) No 713/2009 establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

The Third Energy Package was transposed into Irish law through a suite of legislation, including the following: S.I. No. 450/2010 - European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulations 2010;  S.I. No. 463/2011 - European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity and Gas) (Consumer Protection) Regulations of 2011; S.I. No. 570/2011 - European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) (Certification and Designation of the Transmission System Operator) Regulations 2011; S.I. No. 16/2015 - European Communities (Internal Market in Natural Gas and Electricity) (Amendment) Regulations 2015; S.I. No. 630/2011 - European Communities (Internal Market in Natural Gas and Electricity) Regulations 2011.

Implementation of the legislation is a matter for various bodies in the energy sector so tasked in the aforementioned legislation, including Ireland’s energy regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, the Transmission System Operator (EirGrid), and the Distribution System Operator (EBSN).

As the Deputy will be aware, substantial elements of the 2009 Third Energy Package are set to be amended by the EU’s Clean Energy Package for All Europeans, negotiations of which are ongoing under the Austrian Presidency of the European Council, which aims to complete negotiations by the end of 2018, with subsequent dates from 2019 for adoption and entry into effect.