Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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136. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on progress on the Programme for Government commitment to enact legislation in 2025 to accelerate the roll out of district heating systems. [30119/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The General Scheme of the Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 was approved by Government on 30 October 2024. The Heads of Bill were drafted to give effect to the recommendations of the District Heating Steering Group Report which was published in 2023. These recommendations are guiding the development of district heating in Ireland.

The Bill will seek to introduce a regulatory system for district heating that facilitates the development of a vibrant district heating sector. The legislation has been designed to provide, inter alia, a legislative underpinning for the district heating sector, regulatory certainty for district heating project sponsors, safeguards for the State in terms of district heating network ownership, and protections for consumers.

A legal drafter has been assigned to work on the Bill, and officials in my Department are actively engaging with both the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, as well as external stakeholders, in this regard, and will continue to do so as the legislation is further developed and finalised.