James Geoghegan
Question:26. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to review correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4647/26]
View answerWednesday, 21 January 2026
Questions (26)
Written answers
The draft Heads of the Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 ( www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/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, including the appointment of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) as regulator for heat networks with responsibility for ensuring consumer protection for the sector.
The Bill is currently being drafted with support from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC). To progress the Bill, officials from my Department are actively engaging with the OPC drafter, the Department's own legal team, and external stakeholders such as the CRU.
In terms of economic and customer protection regulation of the district heating sector, the CRU currently has limited powers under S.I. 426 of 2014 and its amending provisions. However, the sector is for the most part unregulated. The provisions contained in the upcoming Heat Bill will enable the CRU to offer regulatory protections related to charges or pricing for district heating networks. Once the Heat Bill is enacted, the CRU will have the powers to establish a clear and comprehensive framework for regulating all heat networks, including measures around complaint handling, metering, billing, and rules for heat cost allocation.
The target is to have the Heat Bill enacted later this year.