Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures that he is taking to safeguard charities and community groups from the debilitating increases in energy prices which will force many groups to close their services if supports are not put in place (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14762/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in energy prices is having across the economy including the sectors highlighted by the Deputy.The most immediate factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland is high international gas prices where we are a price taker. In Europe, wholesale natural gas prices have risen and remained high since the second half of 2020. Gas prices are now unprecedentedly high, with UK wholesale gas prices recently reaching record levels. This is a global phenomenon and expert bodies, including the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the European Commission, have attributed this to a range of demand, supply and geopolitical events, particularly the invasion of Ukraine by Russia that has significantly exacerbated the tightening of the European gas market supplies and the consequent upward trend in wholesale gas prices we have witnessed since mid 2020. This feeds directly through to retail electricity prices as the wholesale price of electricity correlate strongly with the price of gas. This is an issue across all EU 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. The best long-term approach to insulate consumers from volatility on international wholesale energy markets is to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, the expansion of interconnection with our European and neighbouring markets and to deepen internal electricity market integration. Cutting our dependence on fossil fuels and generating power from our own renewable sources will ensure a cleaner, cheaper energy future in the long term. This is what Government is working toward.

In relation to energy efficiency the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a number of schemes funded by my Department including the Communities Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme that may be particularly relevant in this instance. The Communities Energy Grant Scheme supports new approaches to achieving high quality improvements in energy efficiency. By bringing together groups of buildings under the same retrofit programme, these projects facilitate community-wide energy improvements more efficiently and cost effectively than might otherwise be possible. A new call for CEG projects for 2022 will issue from the SEAI shortly. More information on the Community Energy Grant Scheme, including details of Project Co-ordinators, is available on the SEAI website or SEAI may be contacted directly on 1850 927 000 or by e-mail at bec@seai.ie.