Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on urgent concerns relating to new additional energy related costs in relation to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59531/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is the independent regulator. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. The CRU is, under statute, accountable for the performance of its functions to a Committee of the Oireachtas. The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, oireachtas@cru.ie, which enables members raise questions on electricity and gas regulatory matters such as that raised in the question, with CRU, for timely direct reply.Section 35 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 specifically provides that CRU may give directions to System Operators in relation to charges related to the Transmission and Distribution systems. Accordingly, the matter of the reversal of network charges is for the CRU in the performance of its functions as the independent regulator under the regulatory framework. EU Member States must guarantee the independence of their respective energy regulators, which are expressly forbidden from taking direct instructions from a government, or any public body, when performing their regulatory functions.