Questions

166. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the immediate measures that will be taken to relieve households and businesses in Cork from disproportionately high energy costs, given the rising cost of electricity bills driven by grid charges. [46379/25]

168. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if there are specific development guidelines for the development of large-scale fossil-fuel-bio-fuel powered energy projects similar to the 2006 wind energy guidelines (details supplied); if not, whether his Department have any plans to develop or draft guidelines for such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […

181. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide an update on his policy regarding the establishment of a strategic gas reserve; if private companies will be considered as part of the delivery or operation of this reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46738/25]

182. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if comprehensive environmental assessments have been undertaken on proposals from private companies to operate or host Ireland’s strategic gas reserve; the status of such applications or assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46739/25]

183. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the criteria being used to determine whether the State, private companies, or a mixture of both should operate or develop strategic gas storage infrastructure; and if he will comment on the transparency of the decision-making process. [46740/25]

184. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to list the stakeholders, including private companies, community groups and industry, that have been consulted on the future of gas storage and liquid natural gas in Ireland in 2024 and 2025; and to confirm if feedback from these groups will inform final policy. [46741/25]

185. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason Irish households are paying 30% above the EU average for electricity, with annual bills €350 higher; and if this cost burden is being factored into the forthcoming energy poverty strategy, particularly given that 301,000 households were in arrears as of July 2025. [46828/25]

188. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the support measures being considered to assist households facing increased energy costs; and to outline what Government strategies are being implemented to stabilise energy prices and protect consumers. [46974/25]

193. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the current installed and operational electricity storage capacity in megawatts and megawatt hours, by technology; the pipeline to 2030; the number and location of black-start capable sites; and the contingency plan to meet N-1 security during severe weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47190/25]

194. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the State’s current days-of-cover for petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel; whether he intends to introduce a statutory minimum stockholding obligation; the proposed level and compliance regime; the implementation timeline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47194/25]

196. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has examined waste heat recovery from potential electric arc furnace operations for district heating or industrial users; the proposed supports available under the heat retrofit or Exchequer-funded schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47217/25]

214. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the work to date his Department has undertaken as part of the energy poverty steering group; the number of times this group has met since its establishment in August 2022; the actions to date from these engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42491/25]

219. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if hydrotreated vegetable oil will be available under our clean energy transition for the heating of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42497/25]

242. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the timeframe for the sustainability charter of the national biomethane strategy to be published; to report on the process of its development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43008/25]

276. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, to outline how this will be regulated; what safety measures are in place; the measures being taken to ensure that these types of connections are accessible and affordable rather than just available to those with the greatest means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43316/25…

277. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, to outline the framework for gaining the consent of local communities and landowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43317/25]

278. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, to outline the framework to ensure private wires will not undermine the development of the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43318/25]

279. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, to outline the framework as regards ensuring that the same technical and safety standards as the national electricity grid will be in place, and that these will be capable of being taken in charge by the system operators [43319/25]

280. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, to outline the framework which ensures that it does not undermine the financing of the national grid; if there will be a framework to ensure that it does not impact on the transmission system operator and distribution system operator to maintain and expand the national grid. [43320/25]

281. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the additional resources, if any, that will be provided to the CRU for its regulatory role with regard to private wires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43321/25]

282. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in relation to the proposed policy on private wires, the threshold for a new grid-based solution not being available thus allowing access to a private connection. [43322/25]

283. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on the plan to introduce a renewable heat obligation, RHO; to provide a timeline for its introduction; to outline the analysis that has been undertaken to understand the effects the RHO may have on final customer gas bills, especially domestic customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43345/25]

284. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his plans to work on possible grant schemes or changes to the RHSS to facilitate district or communal heating schemes or move them from gas-fed systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43527/25]

285. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on the working group on district and communal heating schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43528/25]

290. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the estimated cost of providing a €500 energy credit to each private household. [43563/25]