Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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171. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a person who lives above their place of business but does not have a separate domestic electricity meter will be eligible for, and receive, the €200 electricity credit payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24120/22]

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, 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 this year, 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 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 Frequently Asked Questions on the electricity credit, which include the matter raised here, are available on gov.ie at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4ae14-electricity-costs-emergency-benefit-scheme/.