Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
122. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the progress made in further developing the Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 to introduce a regulatory framework for district heating; when he expects the Bill to be ready for publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73002/25]
View answerThe draft Heads of the Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 were approved by Government on 30 October 2024. The legislation is intended to provide the statutory underpinning for the development of a vibrant district heating sector and to establish a regulatory regime for district heating that ensures consumer protection.
The Bill is currently being drafted with support from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC). The first draft has recently been submitted by the OPC to my Department. Officials from my Department are actively engaging with the OPC drafter, the Department's own legal team, and external stakeholders to progress the Bill.
My officials have undertaken a series of bilateral meetings with the SEAI, the CRU, and industry. Feedback provided by these stakeholders is being considered in the context of the drafting of the legislation. An SME test has also been conducted in order to ascertain the views of small and medium enterprises. Stakeholder engagement is continuing as we develop the Bill and the target is to have it enacted by mid-2026.
