Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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157. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered removing the first come-first served principle for ESB hook-ups; the plans to prioritise residential developments over data centre and commercial hook-up requests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44277/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not I as Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation.

The management of, and matters related to, connections to the electricity grid are matters for ESB Networks and EirGrid, under rules determined by CRU. The pathway to connection to the electricity grid is dependent on the nature and scale of the project seeking connection and whether it is a demand or generation customer.

The management of, and matters related to, domestic connections to the electricity grid are matter for ESB Networks, under rules determined by the CRU. ESB Networks are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their functions. Connection applications are dealt with on sequential first come first served basis. ESB Networks are advising developers to provide as much notice of their requirements as possible, and to have a connection agreement with ESB Networks in place prior to starting a new development

CRU’s 2021 Direction to the System Operators requires data centres requesting connection to the electricity grid to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis against strict assessment criteria. The recent CRU proposed decision paper on Large Energy Users is an update to existing policy and will apply to data centres only and will direct System Operators to continue assessing connection applications considering local constraints for each application. I am advised that CRU are in the process of analysing the extensive feedback received during consultation and are still working through the timeline on the connection policy publication.

The CRU, ESB Networks and EirGrid have respective email addresses for Deputies should they wish to raise matters of concern (oireachtas@cru.ie, oireachtas@esb.ie, oireachtas@eirgrid.ie).

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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158. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of residential developments that have been stalled or delayed as a data centre,commercial or non-residential electricity hook-up request that were granted ahead of the residential development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44278/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not I as Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation.

The management of, and matters related to, connections to the electricity grid are matters for ESB Networks and EirGrid, under rules determined by the CRU. The pathway to connection to the electricity grid is dependent on the nature and scale of the project seeking connection and whether it is a demand or generation customer.

The management of, and matters related to, domestic connections to the electricity grid are matters for ESB Networks, under rules determined by the CRU. ESB Networks are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their functions. Connection applications are dealt with on sequential first come first served basis. ESB Networks are advising developers to provide as much notice of their requirements as possible, and to have a connection agreement with ESB Networks in place prior to starting a new development

CRU’s 2021 Direction to the System Operators requires data centres requesting connection to the electricity grid to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis against strict assessment criteria. The recent CRU proposed decision paper on Large Energy Users is an update to existing policy and will apply to data centres only and will direct System Operators to continue assessing connection applications considering local constraints for each application. I am advised that CRU are in the process of analysing the extensive feedback received during consultation and are still working through the timeline on the connection policy publication.

The CRU, ESB Networks and EirGrid have respective email addresses for Deputies should they wish to raise matters of concern (oireachtas@cru.ie, oireachtas@esb.ie, oireachtas@eirgrid.ie).