Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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69. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which future supports for people to deal with energy costs will be administered in view of the fact that some groups such as Travellers were unable to access the previous grants in the same manner as most people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45739/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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We are facing unprecedented retail energy prices as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Government has acted through €2.4 billion of measures and will do so again in the Budget.

Under the innovative and completely new Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme, legislation was put in place, followed by an extensive work programme between my Department; CRU; ESB Networks and suppliers in a matter of months. This allowed Government to make a payment of €176.22 to domestic electricity accounts between April and May of this year at a total cost of just under €377 million.

ESBN by virtue of its existing interface with all electricity suppliers, by way of Meter Point Registration Numbers (MPRN), calculated the number of domestic electricity accounts on the relevant date set out in Regulations.

While the scheme did reach over 2 million domestic electricity accounts, the need to have a MPRN resulted in certain cohorts not being able to access the payment. I am aware that some Traveller families in certain Local Authority accommodations where the MPRN is registered to the Local Authority did not receive the payment. Officials from my Department are in contact with their colleagues in the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government on the matter raised by the Deputy.