Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 to 44, inclusive, together.

Through the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Schemes I and II, payments of €176.22 (exclusive of VAT) and €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) respectively, were paid to domestic electricity accounts between January 2022 and April 2023.

In relation to the first scheme, €379,347,208.02 was transferred to ESBN in four tranches. A total of €376,923,830.58 worth of credits was applied to domestic electricity accounts, and a total of €2,423,377.44 worth of unallocated credits was returned to the Department as unallocated on 29th July 2022. This means 99.36% of all eligible domestic electricity accounts had the credit applied.

In relation to Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme II, €1,211,000,000 was transferred to ESBN in two tranches. Of this amount €1,198,813,015.53 was transferred to suppliers, and €12,186,984.47 was returned to the department. This return was due to the 1% contingency, provided to cater for the possibility of new MPRNs coming on line during the lifetime of Scheme II. A total of €10,423,883 worth of unallocated credits was returned from suppliers to ESB Networks, who in turn forwarded the same amount to DECC on 1 August 2023. This means that 99.13% of the funds provided was credited to eligible customers.

There were zero expenses incurred by the distribution system operator or the Minister in the administration of these schemes and any unused funds were returned to the Exchequer.