Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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340. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is considering reducing the regulated cost of gas meter removals for households that are improving energy efficiency and going fossil-fuel free; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24493/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European Union regulatory regime wherein electricity and gas markets are commercial and liberalised. Operating within this overall EU framework, responsibility for the regulation of the electricity and gas markets, including the matters raised by the Deputy, is solely a matter for the CRU. In line with long standing policy on deregulating price setting, CRU ended its regulation of retail prices in the electricity market in 2011, and in the gas market in 2014.

Price setting by electricity suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own different approach to pricing decisions over time, in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base. Within a competitive environment, providers also have costs such as staffing, tax, infrastructure, and cost of Network Tariffs which in turn affects end users’ bills.

There are alternative supports available for households improving energy efficiency and going fossil-fuel free.

The National Heat Study considered potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwelling and business types. It found that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation pathway for domestic heating systems.

Heat pumps are now the dominant heating technology for new builds with CSO data showing that heat pumps were installed in 95% of new dwellings during the first three quarters of last year.

Grant supports under the part-funded schemes are available for installing heat pumps in place of fossil fuel heating systems and, in recent years, a range of measures have been put in place to incentivise take-up among homeowners, including:

• enhanced grant rates of up to €10,500 for heat pumps when a B2 energy rating is achieved;

• amending the construction rule for grant support for heat pumps to include homes built and occupied before 2021;

• changes to the SEAI scheme rules to make the process of accessing heat pump grants easier for homeowners;

• a reduction in the VAT rate to 9% that applies to heat pumps;

• measures to expand the supply chain.

The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme, which launched in April, is aimed at helping more householders to retrofit their homes including a heat pump. It enables homeowners to borrow €5,000-€75,000 at significantly lower interest rates to complete a home energy upgrade. This gives homeowners more choice and the opportunity to avail of rates that are much lower than what is currently available on the market.