IRISH PROPOSED LEGISLATION
Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
District heating has the potential to supply low carbon heat to homes and business from a central source. There is currently only one small scale district heating scheme operational in Ireland, however a recent study by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (the National Heat Study 2022) found that up to 54% of heat demand in Ireland could be provided by district heating from renewable heat. The purpose of this bill is to establish a regulatory model for district heating that ensures consumer protection and the delivery of a vibrant district heating industry, and to mandate all public sector buildings and facilities to connect to district heating where it is available and is technically and economically feasible.
Latest stage: Heads of bill approved in October 2024. Listed for priority drafting in the Spring 2025 Legislative Programme.
Just Transition Commission Bill
This bill will establish a statutory Just Transition Commission, as proposed under the Climate Action Plan 2023. It is proposed that this Commission would be responsible for providing evidence based, independent advice to the Government on the just transition implications of climate policy development and implementation.
Latest stage: Work was ongoing. There is no reference to this bill in the Spring 2025 Legislative Programme.
Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill
The purpose of this bill is to focus on measures to enhance the enforcement capacity of local authorities and to support the implementation of the solid fuel regulations. The bill provides updates to the Air Pollution Act 1987 and provides for the implementation of the Clean Air Strategy.
Latest stage: Heads of bill approved in April 2024. Listed for priority publication in the Spring 2025 Legislative Programme.
Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill
The purpose of this bill is to make a number of amendments to the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, ensuring that third party operators of Liquid Petroleum Gas networks are fully incorporated into the Commission for Regulation of Utilities regulatory regime.
Latest stage: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny was completed in March 2024. See the report for details. Listed for priority publication in the Spring 2025 Legislative Programme.
Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve (Amendment) Bill
The purpose of this bill is to amend Gas Network Ireland’s functions and introduce a regulatory framework, as required in 2024, to support strategic gas emergency reserve development.
Latest stage: Heads were in preparation. Listed as “all other legislation” in the Spring 2025 Legislative Programme.
EU REGULATIONS
Regulation To Establish a Framework of Measures for Strengthening Europe's NIS Technology Products Manufacturing Ecosystem (Net-Zero Industry Act)
Procedure reference: 2023/0081 (COD)
Date published: 16 March 2023
The Net-Zero Industry Act aims to scale up the manufacturing of 'net-zero technologies' (such as renewable energy technologies, electricity and heat storage technologies and alternative fuels) which are key to achieving climate-neutrality. It aims to simplify the regulatory framework for the manufacturing of these technologies and therefore help to increase the competitiveness of the net-zero technology industry in Europe. The Net-Zero Industry Act would introduce a number of measures including: (i) a streamlined permit-granting process for net-zero technology manufacturing projects (through a proposed "one stop shop" mechanism); (ii) the establishment of European Net Zero Academies to develop training programmes regarding the installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of net-zero technologies; and (iii) the establishment of a Net-Zero Europe Platform to advise and assist Member States in achieving their objectives under the Net-Zero Industry Act.
Latest stage: The final act was signed on 13 June 2024 and was published on 28 June 2024 in the EU Official Journal. The regulation applied from 29 June 2024, subject to the following exceptions:
- until 30 June 2026, Article 25(1) only applies to certain contracts (as set out in Article 49(3)); and
- Articles 26 and 28, which will apply from 30 December 2025.
Procedure reference: 2021/0424 (COD)
Date published: 15 December 2021
Complementary to the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package (see the Fit-for-55 section of this Matheson Insight and this EU Commission publication for more details of Fit-for-55), the Commission proposed a new regulatory framework that aims to decarbonise gas markets, establish a competitive hydrogen market and reduce methane emissions. The recasting of Regulation (EU) No 715/2009 (the “Gas Regulation”) is part of this framework. The recast Gas Regulation prescribes rules for access to natural gas and hydrogen systems with a view to ensuring the functioning of internal EU gas markets.
Latest stage: The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (“ITRE”) approved the provisional agreement on 23 January 2024 and the plenary on 11 April 2024. The final act was signed on 13 June 2024 and was published on 15 July 2024 in the EU Official Journal. The regulation applies from 5 February 2025, save for some provisions detailed in Article 89(2) that apply from 4 August 2024 and 1 January 2025.