Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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11. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has plans to deal with the issues facing residents under a district heating scheme (details supplied). [34796/22]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the district heating steering group is expected to bring its report to Government. [34797/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 contains actions that will provide a solid basis for the appropriate expansion of district heating in Ireland, including the establishment of a multi-disciplinary District Heating Steering Group. The District Heating Steering Group, which has met six times so far this year, is working towards recommendations around issues such as: robust governance; the optimum regulatory framework; organisational and structural designs and, legislative, in line with the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive and the Energy Efficiency Directive. The considerations in this regard encompass pre-existing district heating and local heating schemes that are already in operation in Ireland. The recommendations of the Steering Group will be included in its Report to Government, scheduled for Q3 of this year.

Gas and electricity retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive. I am acutely aware of the impact that current, internationally influenced, energy price increases are having on people and families. For that reason, Government has put in place a series of measures to help alleviate the impact, particularly on lower income households.

The 2018 Renewable Energy Directive includes, inter alia, provisions concerning use of unavoidable waste heat when planning district heating and provisions requiring Member States to facilitate the development of heating and cooling derived from renewable sources. District heating, within a structured framework, is a technology that: offers the potential to diversify fuel supply used to heat the building sector; can offer flexibility in fuel choice; and the ability to adapt to changes in the economic and policy landscape.