Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the €10 million fund to further support persons in, or at risk of, energy poverty this winter and into 2023 will provide vital electricity credits to the thousands of full-time mobile home residents who to date have been unable to access the Government credit despite being in one of the most vulnerable sections of society (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63854/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On 13 December 2022 Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan.

The plan provides, inter alia, for the establishment of a €10 million fund to further support people in, or at risk of, energy poverty this winter and into 2023. This is in addition to the existing sources of support, such as the supplier hardship funds or the Additional Needs Payment scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection. The objective of the new fund is to provide a further safeguard to help people who may not be able to access other sources of assistance.

My Department will work with suppliers, relevant public bodies and NGOs to provide financial support to citizens experiencing difficulties meeting their energy costs this winter, including Pay As You Go gas and electricity customers. The new fund will be available to bolster hardship funds which most suppliers have in place. People are advised to engage with their suppliers directly or contact the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) or ALONE, who can advocate on their behalf to suppliers.

Currently my Department is considering a range of options to target this fund to vulnerable groups including those in mobile homes. 

The Energy Poverty Action Plan also sets out the actions the Government has already put in place to tackle energy poverty and help people to pay their energy bills as part of the wider cost of living crisis. These measures include:

- the three €200 energy credits, totalling €1.2 billion in supports, which will be made to all domestic electricity accounts by the end of April 2023

- the additional lump sum Fuel Allowance Payment of €400, bringing the total allowance for winter 2022/2023 to €1,324

- strengthened consumer-protection measures mandated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), including an extension of the annual moratorium on disconnections.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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86. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a person (details supplied) will receive the first of their three €200 energy credits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63894/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government is acutely aware of the impact that the increase in global energy prices is having on households. That is why throughout 2022 Government introduced a €2.4 billion package of supports and as part of Budget 2023 introduced a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion. This includes the new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) is being 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.

This is a measure which uses the single eligibility criterion of a meter point registration number (MPRN), to ensure payments to each domestic electricity account are made as soon as possible, without any additional means testing.

As such, it is being applied automatically to all domestic electricity accounts which are held with suppliers on the effective date for each payment as set out in the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme II Regulations 2022, Statutory Instrument 521 of 2022, i.e. 27 October 2022 in respect of the first payment, 20 December 2022 in respect of the second payment, and 27 February 2023 in respect of the third payment. If a customer switches supplier, it will be the supplier with which they had their account on the relevant effective date that will make the payment to that customer.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has responsibility for oversight of the scheme and can be contacted on customercare@cru.ie or 1800 404 404. The CRU also has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members: oireachtas@cru.ie.