James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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83. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there will be further electricity credits for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27540/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In Budget 2024, Government continued to build on measures to provide support to households and businesses, being especially mindful of the fact that the rising cost of living hit hardest on those with lower incomes.

Budget 2024 introduced a third Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme which over 2.2 million households have benefitted from -- worth €450 in total per household.

Three payments of €150 (including VAT) were made between December 2023 and April 2024.

The payments have been applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2).

Under Scheme III, usage levels were assessed to ensure that payments were withheld in relation to low usage electricity accounts identified by the distribution system operator, to prevent the payment from being applied to vacant houses.

In addition, as part of Budget 2024 Government introduced a suite of once off Social Welfare financial supports to assist people with the Cost of Living. This included including additional lump sum payments for recipients of Fuel Allowance, the Living Alone Increase, the Working Family payment, and the Carer's Support grant, as well as further support to those in receipt of long-term disability payments.

Government is closely monitoring the impact of the full range of supports and the matter of any additional supports is a matter for consideration in the context of Budget 2025.