Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the €200 electricity credit payment will be paid to residential business properties; if not, if self-employed sole traders are to be excluded from this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21961/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget and those set out in the recently published National Energy Security Framework.

The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

This is an exceptional measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number, to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account as early as possible in 2022, without any additional means testing. As such, it is being applied automatically to all domestic electricity accounts which were held with suppliers on 29 March. The payment is being applied to domestic electricity accounts i.e. those which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2), as set out in section 1 of the Act.The Deputy may also wish to note that updates on the electricity credit, including frequently asked questions, are available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if residential tenants living in an apartment complex in which there are also separate commercial units are entitled to receive the €200 electricity credit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21962/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Act 2022 established a scheme for the making in 2022, of a once-off Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment to each domestic electricity account, having regard to the exceptional rise in energy prices. The credit of €176.22 (excluding VAT) is being applied to all domestic electricity accounts from April and includes prepay meters.This scheme is in addition to the Government’s ongoing measures to address energy poverty and the protection of vulnerable customers, and is in addition to the measures introduced in the Budget, as well as more recent measures announced by Government to deal with rising energy costs as set out in the National Energy Security Framework.

The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks) and electricity suppliers with oversight by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

The payment is being applied to domestic electricity accounts as identified by their Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN).

While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the payments directly, 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.

Where tenants have a disputes relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution.

Section 78 of the Residential Tenancies Acts prescribes a non-exhaustive list of matters or complaints that can be referred for RTB dispute resolution. I encourage tenants to examine their tenancy agreements and if appropriate, to refer a dispute to the RTB for resolution .