Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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316. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied) who received neither the November or January electricity account credit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23781/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Budget 2025, Government approved a new tranche of Electricity Credits, the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme IV through which over 2.2 million households will receive two payments of €125 (inclusive of VAT) in the November/December 2024 and January/February 2025 billing cycles, at a total cost of €520 million (excluding VAT).

The scheme is operated by the Distribution System Operator (ESB Networks), and electricity suppliers and overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Based on the number of domestic electricity accounts, ESBN will make payments to the individual energy suppliers who will then credit each domestic electricity account held with them.

The Scheme allows for review by a customer’s electricity supplier, if contacted by a customer who has not received the payment. The customer can seek further review by the CRU, which has oversight of the Scheme, following the decision of the electricity supplier. Under the Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Act 2023, it is the function of the CRU to report to the Minister in relation to the performance by the distribution system operator and electricity suppliers of the respective functions conferred on them by or under the Act.

CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions on general energy regulatory matters to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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317. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment that the retrofitting scheme, part of the SEAI grant for retrofitting be reconsidered, allowing homeowners who are retrofitting their homes to apply for stand-alone SEAI grants for windows and doors. [23783/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.

Grant support for window and door replacement is available under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One Stop Shop service) as well as under the Community Energy Grant Scheme as part of a whole home upgrade solution to ensure that the home achieves a B2 rating or is suitable for installation of a heat pump.

The Warmer Homes Scheme provides fully-funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty. In certain circumstances window upgrades may be recommended, following a survey, and are provided where suitable. Eligibility for the Warmer Homes Scheme requires applicants to be in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection payments.

The SEAI schemes do not fund windows and doors upgrades as a single measure. Individual grants are provided for measures such as wall and/or roof insulation which would typically be of a greater benefit to a homeowner in terms of energy saving.

My officials engage with their counterparts in the SEAI on an ongoing basis in relation to the grant rates and the operation of the schemes, taking account of the overarching need to build a much bigger home upgrade sector, evolving science, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors.