Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures being put in place to ensure that Travellers who pay their rent directly to local authorities have access to the electricity costs emergency benefit scheme; if Travellers who missed out on phase one of the scheme will be refunded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58520/22]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures being put in place to ensure that Travellers who live on unauthorised sites, without meter point reference numbers, have access to the electricity costs emergency benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58521/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 151 together.

Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. That is why the €2.4 billion package of supports implemented in 2022 has been followed by a further package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion and as part of Budget 2023. This includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023, and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.The payment will be 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). This includes accounts with pre-pay meters. The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure payments are made directly and automatically to those accounts, without application or means testing. Under the first scheme, operated in quarter 2 of this year, over 99% of eligible accounts received the payment.

Despite this advantage, the scheme does have limitations. As a result there are cohorts that did not receive the payment.

A particular cohort, identified since the first scheme, includes approximately 1,000 traveller households who use Local Authority accommodations and who were unable to access the credit as, in this situation, the MPRN is registered to the Local Authority and supplies multiple households. However, this group is identifiable through their use of Local Authority accommodation. Therefore, in approving the second Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme, Government also approved funding for this group. DECC is working with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) to provide this benefit to Traveller families through Local Authorities. I understand that there are a number of unauthorised sites in various locations throughout the country, however, these sites are not included in this scheme.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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152. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has interim plans to regulate heating costs for district heating customers who pay for domestic energy at a commercial rate this winter, in advance of receiving the recommendations of the new steering group on district heating. [58536/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Commission for Regulation of Utilities has been appointed as regulator for district heating networks and will be responsible for development of appropriate regulation of the sector going forward. Central to the regulation of the sector will be the recommendations of the District Heating Steering Group. This Steering Group has been examining, among other things, the economic regulation and consumer protection needs of the district heating sector and smaller scale group heating schemes. The Group is working to have its initial report prepared by year end.

In addition, to identify alternative heat sources for group heating schemes in particular, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has initiated a programme of pilot feasibility studies to examine the technical potential of moving those schemes fuelled by natural gas to a renewable energy source. It is anticipated that initial results will be available in the New Year.

More broadly, to help alleviate the impact of the rising cost of living, the Government has already put in place a series of measures, with funding of €2.4 billion available. 

A further package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion was announced in Budget 2023, including the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme II. Primary and secondary enabling legislation has since been put in place, with the first of three €200 electricity credits (inclusive of VAT) being paid directly to over 2.2 million domestic electricity accounts from November 2022. While not all consumers use gas, electricity is supplied to all households. The Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit payment is, therefore, not being applied to domestic gas accounts on the basis that it is intended to be a universal support to all households.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way and when the monetary credits to assist with household energy bills over the winter will be made payable to occupants of houseboats on the Grand and Royal canals, who purchase credits from Waterways Ireland for a meter system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58566/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households and throughout 2022 introduced a €2.4 billion package of supports and as part of Budget 2023 has introduced a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion. This includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023, and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.

The payment will be 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). This includes accounts with pre-pay meters. The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure that payment can be made to those accounts automatically and without application or means testing.

Despite this advantage, the scheme does have limitations. As a result there are cohorts that did not receive the payment, which includes people with accommodation arrangements such as houseboats or mobile homes.

Along with the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme Budget 2023 also introduced measures including:

- €400 lump sum payment to Fuel Allowance recipients

- €200 lump sum payment for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase

- €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all families getting Working Family Payment

- Double payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children

- €500 cost of living payment for people receiving Carer's Support Grant will be paid in November

- €500 lump sum cost of living disability support grant will be paid to all people receiving a long term disability payment

Government continues to monitor the situation in light of the ongoing volatility and uncertainty in energy markets.