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Vol. 272 Wednesday, No. 6 11 November 2020 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 11/11/2020A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 443 11/11/2020B00200Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 444 11/11/2020B00250National Smart Metering Programme� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 445 11/11/2020C00300Urban Regeneration and Development Fund � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 447 11/11/2020D00500Homelessness Strategy � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 450 11/11/2020E00350Youth Services � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 452 11/11/2020F00300Fishing Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 454 11/11/2020H00100An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 457 11/11/2020O00400Sitting Arrangements: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 471 11/11/2020S00100Recognition of Irish Military Service at Jadotville in 1961: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 472 11/11/2020BB00100Disability Day Services: Statements� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 491 11/11/2020MM00100Political Donations: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 511 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 11 Samhain 2020 Wednesday, 11 November 2020 Chuaigh an Leas-Chathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10�30 a�m� Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 11/11/2020A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad 11/11/2020A00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I have received notice from the Senator Garret Ahearn that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following mat- ter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to make a statement on the roll out of the national smart metering programme� I have also received notice from Senator McGahon of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to allocate urban regeneration funding for the Bridge Street and Linenhall Street areas in Dundalk, County Louth� I have also received notice from Senator Moynihan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a state- ment on the recent number of homeless deaths� I have also received notice from Senator Keogan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make a statement on the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on the social life and mental health of secondary school students� I have also received notice from Senator Pauline O’Reilly of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on the current practice of industrial sprat fishing in Galway Bay and other coastal areas. I have also received notice from Senator Gallagher of the following matter: 443 Seanad Éireann The need for the Minister for Health to put a plan in place for consultation between the Department of Health and NPHET to ensure the safe reopening of retail establishments in December 2020� I have also received notice from Senator Seery Kearney of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport to make a statement on the terms of reference for the feasibility study into the MetroLink to Knocklyon, Dublin 16� I have also received notice from Senator Mullen of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the continuing Covid-19 restrictions on religious worship in Ireland and the constitutionality of these restrictions� I have also received notice from Senator Buttimer of the following matter: The need for the Department of Finance to clarify whether travel agents qualify for the Covid restrictions support scheme� I have also received notice from Senator Conway of the following matter: The need for the Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclu- sion to outline her plans to carry out a review of visiting teachers services for visually im- paired students at second level� I have also received notice from Senator Bacik of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on and to provide a timeline for when community social day care facilities for older persons are expected to reopen; and when respite care facilities will open their doors for older persons and their families� I have also received notice from Senator Currie of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education to consider purchasing the land adjacent to St� Patrick’s National School in Diswellstown, Dublin 15 to facilitate the expansion of the school� I have also received notice from Senator Róisín Garvey of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education to make a statement on the provision of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, places in second level schools in County Clare� The matters raised by the Senators are suitable for discussion� I have selected Senators Ahearn, McGahon, Moynihan, Keogan and O’Reilly and they will be taken now� Senator Gal- lagher has withdrawn his Commencement matter, which I had originally selected� The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters that they wish to raise� 11/11/2020B00200Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters 444 11 November 2020 11/11/2020B00250National Smart Metering Programme 11/11/2020B00400An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Depart- ment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine� 11/11/2020B00500Senator Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House� Since 2019 and throughout 2020, ESB Networks has rolled out new electricity smart meter- ing technology in homes across Ireland� If and when this roll-out is completed, domestic and business premises in Ireland will have a smart meter installed� Customers have been told that there is no additional charge for smart meters but that is not the case� The Commission for Reg- ulation of Utilities, CRU, has already announced that household bills will increase by between €30 and €70 from 1 October 2020, partially to pay for this� Many countries, like Germany, chose not to deploy a mass roll out of smart meters because of costs� There are many caution- ary tales where the roll-out costs have escalated very significantly from initial estimates like in the UK. All of this for a programme with no clear consumer or environmental benefits. Many countries have deployed smart meters ahead of Ireland and there is no case showing material positive improvements in energy use or other consumer benefits. We know that under EU regulations Ireland is obliged to roll out smart meters as long as a positive business case for it can be made. The CRU commissioned a cost-benefit analysis, published in 2017, that found the project would cost €1�2 billion and have a €36 million nega- tive net present value, which it deemed broadly neutral� The national smart meter programme, NSMP, has undergone little public scrutiny in contrast with other Government spending� I believe that if the savings that have been promised with this programme are clear and tangible then there should be no issue with having a full scrutiny of the costs, particularly at a time when the economic consequences of the pandemic are becoming clear, and the impact of Brexit looms for both Irish businesses and citizens� The biggest assumed benefit underpinning the cost-benefit analysis is an assumption that customers will shift their consumption from peak times through the imposition of a time-of-use tariff. The ESRI’s behavioural research unit conducted a study, in collaboration with the CRU, that found customers are reluctant to use the new time-of-use tariff. Does this now render the cost-benefit analysis assumption false? Despite this evidence, the CRU continues to mandate that all electricity suppliers provide customers with at least one time-of-use tariff and must take “reasonable and effective steps to migrate all relevant residential and smaller business customers to an appropriate time-of-use tariff in a timely manner” ultimately removing customer choice in terms of flat-rate tariffs. As the spokesperson for enterprise and trade in this House, I am very concerned at this� Why are we insisting that small businesses must pay more for peak electricity usage during this pan- demic? I have a number of questions that I hope the Minister of State might be able to answer� What exact benefits are customers and businesses paying for? Why has an updated CRU cost-benefit analysis not been published? How can paying for smart meters that will push businesses to a higher tariff be justified during a crippling economic time? Why have so many