Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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65. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how the approximately 60 private households in a location (details supplied) can avail of the electricity grant when their landlord is on a commercial account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5819/23]

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) 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. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.

The payment is 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. While one credit is applied per domestic MPRN, there are cohorts such as households on commercial connections that did not receive the payment.

Officials from my Department are examining this matter to determine if a solution can be developed.