Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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223. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how the Commission for Regulation of Utilities is resourced to monitor, regulate and enforce payments as part of the microgeneration support scheme. [18194/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector, following enactment if the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation.

While CRU is financed by means of a levy on regulated entities, it must receive approval from the Minister of Environment, Climate & Communication and the Minister of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform; in consultation with the Department of Housing Local Government & Heritage, for staffing levels.

The latest such approval has been given, in full, for the CRU three-year workforce plan, which includes 74 new whole time equivalent positions to meet its objectives under the Strategic Plan 2022-2024.

The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members at oireachtas@cru.ie, which enables them to raise more specific operational and resourcing matters directly to the CRU.