Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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95. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to reduce the cost of energy for households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44556/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has made a number of important commitments in respect of addressing the continued high cost of energy for households and businesses. The Programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses and commits to bringing forward measures to help contain energy costs.

The Government has put in place a range of improved supports as part of the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit programme. These measures are aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.

For 2025, a record capital budget of almost €550 million is allocated for SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the Solar PV Scheme, to support over 64,500 home energy upgrades. Of this amount, a record €280 million has been allocated to the Warmer Homes Scheme to provide fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty. This represents an 11-fold increase over the spend on the scheme in 2020 and underlines the Government’s commitment to addressing energy poverty.

Earlier this year, Government approved an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity by a further six months to October 2025 at an estimated cost of €85 million with the net benefit to households from 1 May to 31 October being approximately €26.60 with respect to electricity and €20.28 with respect to gas.

In May 2025, my Department established the National Energy Affordability Taskforce to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses while delivering key renewable commitments and protecting security of supply and economic stability. This Taskforce will be responsible for drafting an Energy Affordability Action Plan and monitoring its implementation, and developing an interim report to inform Budget 2026 discussions.