David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the recently announced energy credit will be given to those staying in private rented accommodation but who are paying for electricity themselves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8925/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022 contains provision for a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account in 2022, to help alleviate the exceptional rise in energy prices faced by people. This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and to the measures introduced in the Budget.The scheme will apply to all domestic accounts and will include pre-pay customers.

I understand that the majority of the 300,000 tenancies registered with the RTB would hold their own domestic electricity accounts. In those instances the payment will be directly applied to these accounts.

Others would have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion would have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost.

In consultation with my Department, the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) is working on a public information campaign on this legislation and payment. In the event of a dispute between a tenant and a landlord as a result of failure to pass on the credit payment, the dispute resolution mechanisms run by the RTB are available.

The Deputy may also wish to note that regular information updates, including frequently asked questions, are being made available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/.