Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the analysis that has been carried out on the impact of the Government’s decision not to provide energy credits this winter; the impact this is projected to have on households in arrears; if he anticipates the numbers of households in arrears will rise this winter; the measures he is taking to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44557/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to ease the energy burden on households this winter given the decision not to supply energy credits; if he anticipates households will be able to withstand the increased annual cost in real terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44558/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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109. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the most recent data showing that over 300,000 households are now in arrears on their energy bills and given mounting reports that families are being forced to choose between paying for electricity or groceries, if consideration will be given to reintroducing targeted energy credits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44786/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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113. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for the cancellation of the €250 universal energy credit in budget 2026; if a cost–benefit analysis was conducted comparing universal versus targeted relief; and the estimated number of households adversely impacted by the change. [44912/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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114. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the current Government strategy to support households facing rising energy costs in the absence of universal credits; and if further supports such as winter fuel allowances, insulation grants, or reduced VAT are under consideration for vulnerable households. [44915/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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166. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the immediate measures that will be taken to relieve households and businesses in Cork from disproportionately high energy costs, given the rising cost of electricity bills driven by grid charges. [46379/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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185. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Irish households are paying 30% above the EU average for electricity, with annual bills €350 higher; and if this cost burden is being factored into the forthcoming energy poverty strategy, particularly given that 301,000 households were in arrears as of July 2025. [46828/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 97, 109, 113, 114, 166 and 185 together.

Electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein these markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and are overseen by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Price setting by energy suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned.

I am deeply aware of the impact which rising energy prices, driven by an unprecedented increase in wholesale prices and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have had on Irish consumers and businesses. To date €3.3 billion has been transferred through the four electricity credit schemes, providing support to nearly 2.3 million domestic households.

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.

In 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.

The Government has made a number of important commitments in respect of addressing the continued high cost of energy. The Programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses and commits to bringing forward taxation measures to help contain energy costs.

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. This is traditionally 13.5% but has been 9% since 2022 in response to the energy price crisis.

The National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) has been established by my Department 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. The core objectives of the Taskforce include drafting an interim plan identifying measures to support energy consumers in advance of Budget 2026, and an Energy Affordability Action plan, which will examine measures and structural reforms to lower costs for households and businesses. However, there are no plans to introduced a further electricity credit scheme in Budget 2026.