Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has met with the Minister for housing to discuss what impact the constrained grid is having on housing supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46025/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Issues regarding the development and operation of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid, as Transmission System Operator, and ESB Networks, as Distribution System Operator, who are independent of me as Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. Both entities are overseen by the independent regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which is accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas.

Ireland along with many other European countries is currently experiencing high demand for new electrical connections, which has led to capacity constraints on the electricity grid. This high demand is driven by a range of factors including large energy users, electrification of residential heat, transport, and industry, climate and housing targets and population growth. Notwithstanding this, over the last four years, ESB Networks has connected over 147,000 homes and businesses to the distribution network, and housing developments continue to be offered grid connections.

Ensuring the continued delivery of grid capacity to allow the expansion of housing supply into the future is a priority for Government, and we are providing both vital investment and coordinated cross-government action to achieve this. Government is providing a €3.5 billion equity investment in EirGrid and ESB Networks, which will act alongside the proposed investment of the CRU’s draft decision on Price Review 6. This proposes grid investment of up to €18 billion, with a guaranteed €14.1 billion between 2026 and 2030.

To ensure that these investments result in delivery, Government has developed dedicated taskforces which contain officials from my Department and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Government has established the Accelerating Renewable Energy and Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforces, which aim to accelerate the development of renewable electricity generation and infrastructure and work in tandem with the Housing Activation Office to address barriers to the delivery of infrastructure required to deliver housing.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered legislating so that the CRU has the mandate to authorise the prioritising of certain grid connections on the basis of their social good, as they do in other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46026/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity sector 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 the 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 CRU is responsible for oversight of the operation and development of the national grid by the System Operators and for setting connection policy in Ireland. EirGrid and ESB Networks are also independent of the Minister in the exercise of their respective functions. Under Section 34 of the ERA, the CRU may give directions to system operators, EirGrid and ESB Networks, on the terms and conditions of access to the electricity system.

Ireland along with many other European countries is currently experiencing high demand for new electrical connections – which has led to capacity constraints on both the distribution (ESB Networks) and transmission (EirGrid) networks. This high demand is driven by a range of factors including large energy users, electrification of transport, heat and industry, accelerated climate and housing targets and population growth. Notwithstanding this, over the last four years, ESB Networks has connected over 147,000 homes and businesses to the distribution network. All customers have a right to a connection from ESB Networks. Connection applications are dealt with on sequential first come first served basis.

Ensuring the continued delivery of grid capacity to allow the expansion of housing supply into the future is a priority for my Government, and we are providing the increased vital investment required to achieve this rapid transformation of Ireland’s electricity system. This includes a €3.5 billion equity investment in EirGrid and ESB Networks. Furthermore, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities have recently published their draft decision on Price Review 6 setting out a proposed investment of up to €18.08 billion in the grid between 2026 and 2030, with a guaranteed €14.1 billion. Under this plan, ESB Networks has put forward an ambitious programme with proposed capital investment of €13.4bn between 2026 and 2030 to support climate ambition and the Government housing target to build 300,000 new homes by 2030.

Connection policy in Ireland is an operational matter for the CRU and not a matter in which I, as Minister, have a function. However, my Department is in regular engagement with the CRU and system operators in working to address the challenges around developing grid capacity and facilitating customer connections, including households. For instance, the multilateral meetings of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce focus on identifying key barriers and potential solutions to accelerating the delivery of critical grid infrastructure. The CRU have a contact email address for Deputies, of which they are aware, should they wish to raise matters of concern relating to connections policy (oireachtas@cru.ie).