Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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94. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the measures being taken to ensure grid resilience in vulnerable areas during the 2025-26 winter period; the means by which communities will be informed of emergency generation plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60487/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Following Storm Éowyn, I asked ESB Networks (ESBN) to prepare a Winter 2025 Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter. This Plan first published in April, was further updated and submitted to my Department in mid-October. The core work undertaken is set out below:-

1. ESB-N has significantly progressed remedial works to refurbish the network.

2. ESB-N continues to work with Coillte and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify segments of the network at highest future risk. Timber harvesters have been procured and mobilised.

3. Emergency stocks of spare parts and materials are being replenished.

4. Staffing levels and available contractor resources are being increased through provision of targeted training programmes. In addition, my Department has progressed the issue of permits for skilled workers from outside the EU to advance urgent forestry work.

5. ESB-N is leading a working group at EU level to establish formal arrangements for mutual aid during extreme weather events.

ESB-N is also increasing the number of access officers who engage with landowners on forestry work. My Department is preparing legislation to enhance ESB-N’s powers to manage vegetation. The Government approved the Heads of this Bill in July and work on advancing the legislation continues as a matter of priority.

I assume the second part of your Question relates to the back-up supports with respect to the availability of power at community level. The response to severe weather events, at local and community level, is led by local authorities and as such is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As highlighted in the recently published Review of Storm Éowyn, local authorities led on the coordination of Emergency Hubs (community support centres) to assist communities in severely affected locations by providing emergency access to power and water which allowed for the provision of hot food, phone charging, broadband access and shower facilities. I understand that further work is underway in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the future function, role and location of Community Support Centres.

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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96. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the means by which the national electricity grid is being upgraded to support increased renewable energy generation, greater electrification and future demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59350/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Investing in our electricity network, and ensuring it is fit for purpose, is overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in five-year cycles called Price Reviews. The CRU is an independent regulator, accountable to a Committee of the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister. The CRU is responsible for, inter alia, the economic regulation of the Irish electricity system operators ESB Networks and EirGrid.

On 3 July, the CRU published its Draft Determination on Price Review 6 (PR6), setting out the proposed investment to take place in our electricity grid between 2026-2030. The CRU have proposed approval of an investment of up to €18.08 billion, with a €14.1 billion baseline investment guaranteed. The CRU are currently reviewing responses received to their public consultation and are expected to publish a final determination in December.

PR6 will see major investment in the onshore electricity grid and represents a step change in grid development and investment, a process which will see further progressive scaling during the 2030s to meet future targets. These investments will start to deliver the building blocks on which we will expand our onshore grid out to 2050.

PR6 will enable the delivery of over 500 capital network projects, the growth of our economy, the connection of new housing to our electricity system, the integration of greater renewable energy, both on and offshore, and decarbonisation. Implementation of PR6 will start immediately following approval by the CRU, with the investment to be undertaken next year already approved as part of the Network Tariff setting announced by CRU in August this year.

To ensure delivery of PR6 programme, Government are investing €3.5 billion in equity in EirGrid and ESB Networks.