Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment why the cost of domestic ESB is now higher than commercial, as this was never the case before; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25985/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the independent energy regulator, which was assigned this responsibility through the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation. CRU ceased price setting within the retail electricity and gas markets in 2011 and 2014 respectively. As participants in liberalised, commercial markets, price setting is a decision for each supplier company based on individual business and strategic considerations.

The Government has taken a range of actions to support residential consumers, including the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit scheme, which saw three €200 (VAT inclusive) payments made to all domestic electricity accounts nationwide, and the €400 lump sum payment to recipients of Fuel Allowance. These steps were taken as part of the Government's broader efforts to support people with the cost of living, which included €2.5 billion of once-off measures introduced by Budget 2023 and a further €470 million package announced in February 2023.

Officials from my Department have ongoing engagement with CRU and the utility companies on pricing questions, customer protections and related matters. The CRU is accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU also has a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members oireachtas@cru.ie.