Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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143. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment in relation to discounted rates on hardship meters, if he aware that discount rates are not available on hardship meters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53339/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In August the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) announced the introduction of specific customer protection measures for the coming winter, to strengthen the existing protections that are currently in place.

Measure 3 of the CRU’s Additional Customer Protection Measures sets out that “Suppliers are required to ensure that all customers with a financial hardship meter are automatically placed on the most economic tariff. This includes a tariff that might otherwise only be available to, for example, a new customer or a customer as a retention offer. The customer in financial hardship must be placed on whichever tariff is the cheapest.”

The Budget 2024 package includes a new Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €412.83 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €137.61 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - December 2023, January/February 2024 and March/April 2024, having regard to the fact that the average price of electricity and gas is still significantly higher for households compared to pre-energy crisis levels. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.007 billion.

The payment will be applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, 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).

The Submeter Support Scheme is being introduced to ensure that supplier submeter accounts, identified by electricity suppliers, also receive three credit payments of €137.61.

Recent data published by the Central Statistics Office indicates that the median residential electricity bill fell by 28%, or €359, to €909 in 2022, compared to 2021. This takes account of the impact of the electricity costs emergency benefit payments applied in 2022.

The CRU is an independent statutory regulator and is accountable for the performance of its functions to the Oireachtas, and not to me as Minister. The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on energy regulatory matters, such as the matter raised in this question, to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.