Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

87. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the European Commission's proposal to incentivise a reduction in electricity demand across the European Union, particularly in the context of large and extra-large energy users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47410/22]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

91. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether the European Commission's proposed regulation to incentivise a reduction in electricity demand contrasts with the approach of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in its proposed measures to reduce electricity demand among large and extra-large energy users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47405/22]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

92. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on whether the Commission for Regulation of Utilities should revise its proposals to impose a tariff system among consumers, particularly in the context of large and extra-large energy users, in view of the publication of the European Commission's proposed regulation to incentivise a reduction in electricity demand. [47406/22]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the proposed measures of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to reduce electricity demand among large and extra-large energy users and small and medium enterprises; his views on whether an incentivised reduction model would be more appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47411/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 89, inclusive, 91, 92, 95 and 99 to 101, inclusive, together.

I, along with officials within my Department and colleagues across Government, have been and continue to engage constructively at an EU and national level on all matters related to the ongoing energy crisis. As the Deputies note, the European Commission has proposed a number of short-term exceptional emergency measures recently which include a proposal to incentivise coordinated electricity demand-reduction across the EU. Other proposals include capping the revenues of inframarginal electricity producers with low costs of production and introducing a solidarity contribution from fossil fuel companies to be used to mitigate the impact of high energy prices on customers.

Measures which can assist consumers and those measures which seek to reduce demand on the energy system are welcomed. The short-term emergency proposals as put forward by the Commission are complex in nature and therefore it is up to each country to see how they might apply these proposals and, in this regard, there is flexibility build in. As regards demand reduction, this is a critical measure at both national and EU level, in particular demand reduction at peak hours. If demand can be reduced at peak hours that can in turn bring down electricity costs for everyone.

Separately, as noted by the deputies, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has also recently proposed changes to the electricity network tariffs to assist with, inter alia, demand reduction. The CRU has statutory responsibility to ensure security of supply, the duty to monitor electricity supplies and to take such measures as it considers necessary to protect the security of supply. These proposals are part of a programme of actions underway to ensure the security of our electricity supply over the coming winters. The CRU, as an independent regulatory body, will play a central role in any national electricity demand reduction policies based around tariffs. Officials from my Department are in contact with the CRU in order to ensure that priority matters regarding the energy crisis continue to progress.