Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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109. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the steps being taken to strengthen the powers and remit of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in light of the persistent gap between wholesale and retail electricity prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59706/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Regulation of retail energy markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) since the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, and subsequent legislation. The CRU is an independent regulator, accountable to the Oireachtas and not to me as Minister.

However, officials from my Department correspond with the CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets. The CRU published a report on retail energy markets in September 2023 in relation to competition and supplier pricing in the energy market. The report was in response to a request by then Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, to examine supplier hedging practices and pricing strategies in the Irish energy market. Based on a review of supplier prices and wholesale market costs, the CRU considered that retail prices are broadly continuing to reflect underlying cost drivers, such as wholesale gas and electricity prices, but with a lag period due to supplier hedging strategies.

Under the Programme for Government 2025, we have committed to commissioning an independent review into the speed and level of pass through from wholesale prices to retail prices, with an additional assessment of the overall price dynamics and an overall focus on the competitiveness of the Irish economy. My Department has also established a cross-Government 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.

The taskforce has developed and published an interim report, which set out measures for consideration as part of the Budget 2026 process. This report has been published on Gov.ie, in advance of further analysis and the publication of the Energy Affordability Action Plan in 2026. The core objective of the taskforce must now be to progress the preparation of an Energy Affordability Action Plan which will examine measures and structural reforms to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses.