Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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31. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment how electricity account credits are provided to households that use solar energy; if they will still receive this credit if their account is in credit already; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42085/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As part of Budget 2025, the Government approved a new scheme to provide electricity credits to more than 2.2 million households, worth €250 in total per household.

Two payments of €125 (including VAT) will be made between November 2024 and February 2025 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 the scheme, usage levels will be assessed to ensure that payments are withheld in relation to low usage electricity accounts identified by the distribution system operator, to prevent the payment from being applied to vacant houses. Credits will not be withheld from accounts with a financial hardship meter, accounts held by registered as a vulnerable customer or accounts which have low usage due to renewable self-consumption through microgeneration.

The scheme will use the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure it can be administered automatically and without an application/approval process. Therefore, households do not need to apply for the credit, nor do they need to contact their electricity supplier. Households which generate electricity through microgeneration are eligible for these payments, and whether an account is currently in credit or not will not affect its eligibility to receive payments under the scheme.