Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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162. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to report on the work concerning the energy security review that was ongoing at the end of the last Government’s term; if the new Government opted to halt this work; if so, if he will clarify his reasoning for doing so; the conclusions that were drawn; if a report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11194/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 201, 202, 203, 204 and 206 of 4 March 2025, the reason “related reports” will only be “considered” for future publication; to outline any reasons he may not want to publish the findings of the CEPA consultation initiated by the then-Minister in 2024; to outline any reasons he may not want to publish the findings of the Gas Networks Ireland consultation initiated by the then-Minister in 2024; if Gas Networks Ireland recommended the construction of a State-led emergency gas reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 207 together.

The Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023.

The aim of this additional modelling is to update the analysis of security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data (previous analysis covered the period up to 2030) and assess Ireland's ability to meet the N-1 infrastructure standard for gas with and without additional mitigations into the next decade.

My Department intends to publish both the Gas Networks Ireland preliminary business case proposals and the updated CEPA modelling in due course.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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163. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to specify the work his Department commissioned an organisation (details supplied) to undertake on energy security; to report on the work that was carried out in 2024 following the conclusion of Gas Networks Ireland’s process; if the conclusions will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11195/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department engaged CEPA (Cambridge Economic Policy Associates Ltd) in December 2024 to update their previous modelling which informed the Energy Security Package in 2023.

The aim of this additional modelling is to update the analysis of security of supply in Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems in 2035 and 2040, using the latest available data (previous analysis covered the period up to 2030) and assess Ireland's ability to meet the N-1 infrastructure standard for gas with and without additional mitigations into the next decade.

My Department intends to publish both the Gas Networks Ireland preliminary business case proposals and the updated CEPA modelling in due course.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline his proposals to reduce energy poverty; the number of persons he is aware of currently in arrears; the total value of arrears, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11200/25]

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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166. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how many electricity and gas customers were in arrears on their energy bills based on the most recently available figures; if he will outline what reporting his Department receives on those in arrears; how the most recent figures compare to those from the same date in 2024 and 2023 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11237/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

In December 2022, Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Plan is available on gov.ie and sets out the range of measures implemented to meet high energy costs, as well as key longer-term measures, to ensure that those least able to afford these increased energy costs are supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes.

An Annual Report outlining progress under the various actions in the Energy Poverty Action Plan was published in May 2024 and is available on gov.ie.

A consultation to inform the development of a revised Energy Poverty Action Plan was published in 2024. The feedback from this consultation has been considered by my Department and will feed into the revision of the Action Plan. The revised Plan will set out a wide range of clear, timebound actions aimed at tackling energy poverty with appropriate governance and evaluation, to benefit energy poor households and other vulnerable citizens.

Regulation of retail energy markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) since the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation. However, officials from my Department correspond with CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets, including the effect of government supports on arrears levels, among other indicators.

While the number of persons in arrears and the total value of arrears by county cannot be provided in tabular form; an update on the latest figures of customers currently in arrears can be given. The number of domestic gas customers in arrears in January 2023 stood at 143,523 while the number of domestic electricity customers in arrears was 183,506. In January 2024, the number of domestic gas customers in arrears stood at 155,615, while the number of domestic electricity customers in arrears was 208,899.

In terms of the most up to date and latest figures given to my Department from the CRU, the number of domestic gas customers in arrears in January 2025 stood at 163,537 while the number of domestic electricity customers in arrears was 237,053.

The Deputy may wish to engage directly with CRU in relation to the matters raised. CRU provides a dedicated email address, oireachtas@cru.ie, for Oireachtas members which enables them to raise questions on general energy regulatory matters.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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167. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he projects the first new offshore renewable wind energy to become available on the grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11239/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan 2024 commits to achieving at least 5 gigawatts (GW) of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. The Government's Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce is driving delivery of this objective.

Our first offshore wind auction under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS 1, took place in 2023 and resulted in 3.1 GW of offshore wind capacity being contracted with four projects. I am advised that two projects that were unsuccessful in the ORESS 1 auction are pursuing an alternative route to market by contracting with large energy users to provide them with clean renewable energy through corporate power purchase agreements. These two projects account for a further 1.2 GW of grid connected capacity, making a total of 4.3 GW. All six projects have now submitted applications for planning consent to An Bord Pleanála. Subject to the outcome of the planning application processes, the individual developers will then construct the offshore wind farms.

Our second offshore wind auction for the 900 megawatt (MW) Tonn Nua site located in the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC DMAP) will take place this year, further contributing to our 5GW target.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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168. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how much new gas-fired electricity generation will be added to the grid in 2025; how much was added in 2024 and if he will provide a breakdown by project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11240/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As set out in the 2021 'Policy Statement on Security of Electricity Supply', the development of new conventional gas fired generation is a national priority and should be permitted and supported. This will ensure security of electricity supply and support the growth of renewable electricity generation.

Dispatchable generation, such as gas fired generation, is necessary to meet electricity demand at times of low renewable output. The running of the electricity capacity auction process to procure new dispatchable generation is solely a matter for the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO), which brings together the two Transmission System Operators, under the regulatory supervision of the Single Electricity Market Committee (SEMC). There is no Ministerial function in relation to the auctions, apart from securing State Aid approval for the capacity mechanism, which was obtained in 2017. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), as Irelands representative on the SEMC, has a statutory responsibility to ensure security of electricity supply.

In 2024, 221.6 MW of new gas fired generation was successfully delivered. This includes Temporary Emergency Generation.

Given that, as Minister, I have no function in this regard, I cannot comment on individual capacity market projects. EirGrid’s Generation Capacity Statement 2023-2032 provides a risk adjusted view of gas fired generation delivery on Table 5.1 for 2025 and this risk adjusted view will be updated in Eirgrid's forthcoming 10 year 'National Resource Adequacy Assessment' which I understand is due to be published in the coming weeks. It should be noted that this does not take into account additional generation capacity procured in recent capacity market auctions.

The CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members at oireachtas@cru.ie if you wish to contact them further on this matter.