Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
281. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department will request that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities provide arrears data disaggregated by income group, welfare status and household type as part of its monthly monitoring returns to the Department, to allow better assessment of households at highest risk of long-term energy debt; and the timeline for introducing such reporting. [71056/25]
View answer282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the National Energy Affordability Taskforce has completed modelling on projected long-term electricity and gas arrears over the next three years; if the modelling will be published; and how this modelling is informing the development of targeted supports. [71057/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together.
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.
However, officials from my Department correspond with CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets including the effect of Government supports on arrears levels, among other indicators.
The CRU regularly provides market monitoring data to my Department including data on estimated annual bills for households, the number of households in payment arrears on their electricity and gas bills, the number of disconnections and the number of customers switching energy supplier.
The CRU is currently reviewing its market monitoring framework through which this data is collected and reported upon. The review aims to provide more granular information to gain a better understanding of the numbers of customers who may be in more distress and in need of support with their debt.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the first report of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce included a detailed analysis of trends in energy prices and related matters.
