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Uimhir 23 de 1999
AN tACHT UM RIALÁIL LEICTREACHAIS, 1999
[An tiontú oifigiúil]
RIAR NA nALT
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
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An Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais a Bhunú.
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Ceadúnais agus Údaruithe.
Painéil Achomhairc
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31. | Orduithe chun Painéil Achomhairc a bhunú agus nithe gaolmhara. |
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Rochtain ar Chórais Tarchurtha agus Dáilte.
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34. | Téarmaí maidir le cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte agus maidir lena úsáid. |
35. | Muirir as cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte agus as é a úsáid. |
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Oibleagáidí Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Socruithe Idirthréimhseacha
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Aisghairm Iarmhartach agus Leasuithe Iarmhartacha.
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Ilghnéitheach.
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53. | Leasú ar alt 2(2) den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949. |
54. | Aisghairm ar alt 2(3), (4) agus (6) den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949. |
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais
Na hAchtanna dá dTagraítear | |
Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919 | 1919, c. 20 |
Achtanna na gCuideachtaí, 1963 go 1990 | |
Na hAchtanna Leictreachais (Soláthar), 1927 go 1995 | |
An tAcht um Thoghcháin do Pharlaimint na hEorpa, 1997 | 1997, Uimh. 2 |
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 | 14 & 15 Vict. c. 93 |
Uimhir 23 de 1999
AN tACHT UM RIALÁIL LEICTREACHAIS, 1999
[An tiontú oifigiúil]
ACHT DÁ CHUMASÚ ÉIFEACHT A THABHAIRT DO THREOIR UIMH. 96/92/CE AN 19 NOLLAIG, 1996, Ó PHARLAIMINT NA hEORPA AGUS ÓN gCOMHAIRLE(1), DO BHUNÚ COMHLACHTA AR A dTABHARFAR AN COIMISIÚN UM RIALÁIL LEICTREACHAIS, NÓ, SA BHÉARLA, THE COMMISSION FOR ELECTRICITY REGULATION, DO THABHAIRT CUMHACHT DON CHOIMISIÚN SIN CEADÚNAIS A DHEONÚ CHUN LEICTREACHAS A GHINIÚINT AGUS A SHOLÁTHAR AGUS ÚDARUITHE A DHEONÚ CHUN STÁISIÚIN GHINIÚNA A FHOIRGNIÚ, DO DHÉANAMH SOCRÚ MAIDIR LE ROCHTAIN A BHEITH AG SEALBHÓIRÍ CEADÚNAS, AG SEALBHÓIRÍ ÚDARUITHE NÓ AG CUSTAIMÉIRÍ CÁILITHE AR AN gCÓRAS TARCHURTHA NÓ DÁILTE, DO LEASÚ AGUS D'AISGHAIRM FORÁLACHA ÁIRITHE DEN ACHT LEICTREACHAIS (SOLÁTHAR), 1927, AGUS DO DHÉANAMH SOCRÚ I dTAOBH NITHE GAOLMHARA. [11 Iúil, 1999]
ACHTAÍTEAR AG AN OIREACHTAS MAR A LEANAS:
CUID I
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
Gearrtheideal agus tosach feidhme.
1.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, a ghairm den Acht seo.
(2) Tiocfaidh an tAcht seo i ngníomh cibé lá nó laethanta a cheapfaidh an tAire le hordú nó le horduithe i gcoitinne nó faoi threoir aon chríche nó forála áirithe, agus féadfar laethanta éagsúla a cheapadh amhlaidh chun críoch éagsúil nó le haghaidh forálacha éagsúla.
Léiriú.
2.—(1) San Acht seo, ach amháin mar a n-éilíonn an comhthéacs a mhalairt—
ciallaíonn “údarú” údarú arna dheonú faoi alt 16;
ciallaíonn “oifigeach údaraithe” duine a cheapfar faoi alt 11 chun bheith ina oifigeach nó ina hoifigeach údaraithe;
ciallaíonn “Bord” Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais;
ciallaíonn “teas is cumhacht in éineacht” teas agus leictreachas inúsáidte a tháirgeadh go comhuaineach ó phróiseas comhtháite teirmidinimiciúil i gcás gur mó ná 70 faoin gcéad éifeachtúlacht fhoriomlán oibríochta an phróisis, a bhunaítear ar luach calrach comhlán an bhreosla a úsáidtear agus arb é an sainmhíniú air an coibhneas atá idir an t-aschur fuinnimh a mbaintear fóint as agus an t-ionchur fuinnimh, agus i gcás go sásaíonn an próiseas comhtháite teirmidinimiciúil cibé critéir theicniúla, oibríochta, eacnamaíochta agus timpeallachta a shonróidh an tAire ó am go ham, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an gCoimisiún;
ciallaíonn “Coimisiún” an Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais;
ciallaíonn “dír-líne”, i ndáil le leictreachas, líne leictreachais a úsáidtear nó atá le húsáid chun leictreachas a iompar chun críche soláthair agus a gceadaítear déanamh na líne sin faoi alt 37;
ciallaíonn “dáileadh“, i ndáil le leictreachas, leictreachas a iompar trí chóras dáilte, is é sin le rá, córas arb é atá ann línte leictreachais, gléasra leictreachais, claochladáin agus lascghiar agus a úsáidtear chun leictreachas a iompar chuig custaiméirí deiridh;
ciallaíonn “cód dáilte” cód i leith na ngnéithe teicniúla go léir a bhaineann le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras dáilte, agus oibriú an chórais dáilte, arna ullmhú ag an mBord faoi alt 33;
ciallaíonn “líne leictreachais” aon líne a úsáidtear d'aontoisc nó i measc nithe eile chun leictreachas a iompar chun críche ar bith agus folaíonn sé—
(a) aon taca d'aon líne den sórt sin, is é sin le rá, aon déanmhas, cuaille, nó rud eile inar féidir, ar ar féidir, ag ar féidir nó ónar féidir taca a thabhairt d'aon líne den sórt sin, í a iompar nó í a chrochadh,
(b) aon ghaireas a bheidh i gceangal le haon líne den sórt sin chun leictreachas nó seirbhísí eile a iompar, agus
(c) aon sreang, cábla, feadán, píopa nó rud dá shamhail sin (lena n-áirítear an chásáil nó an chótáil atá air nó uirthi) a bheidh timpeall aon líne den sórt sin nó a thabharfaidh taca di nó a fheisteofar an-chóngarach di nó a mbeidh aon líne den sórt sin timpeall air nó uirthi nó ag tabhairt taca dó nó di, nó a dtabharfar taca dó nó di, a iomprófar nó a chrochfar i bpáirt le haon líne den sórt sin;
ciallaíonn “gléasra leictreachais” aon ghléasra, gaireas nó fearas a úsáidtear chun leictreachas a ghiniúint, a tharchur, a dháileadh nó a sholáthar, nó chun críocha a bhaineann leis sin, seachas—
(a) líne leictreachais,
(b) méadar a úsáidtear chun an chainníocht leictreachais a sholáthraítear d'aon áitreabh a fhionnadh, nó
(c) fearas leictreachais atá faoi rialú tomhaltóra;
ciallaíonn “gnóthas leictreachais” aon duine a ghabhann do leictreachas a ghiniúint, a tharchur, a dháileadh nó a sholáthar, lena n-áirítear aon sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú faoin Acht seo, nó aon duine dár deonaíodh cead faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht;
ciallaíonn “an lá bunaithe” an lá a cheapfar faoi alt 8;
ciallaíonn “custaiméir deiridh” duine dá soláthraítear leictreachas ag áitreabh aonair lena thomhailt san áitreabh sin;
tá le “ráiteas réamhaisnéise” an bhrí a shanntar dó le halt 38;
folaíonn “feidhmeanna” cumhachtaí agus dualgais;
ciallaíonn “giniúint”, i ndáil le leictreachas, leictreachas a tháirgeadh;
ciallaíonn “stáisiún giniúna” stáisiún chun leictreachas a ghiniúint;
ciallaíonn “cód eangaí” cód i leith na ngnéithe teicniúla go léir a bhaineann le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha, agus oibriú an chórais tarchurtha, arna ullmhú ag an mBord faoi alt 33;
ciallaíonn “ceadúnas” ceadúnas a eiseofar faoi alt 14;
ciallaíonn “Aire” an tAire Fiontar Poiblí;
ciallaíonn “forordú” a fhorordú le rialacháin arna ndéanamh ag an Aire nó ag an gCoimisiún faoin Acht seo agus déanfar focail ghaolmhara a fhorléiriú dá réir sin;
ciallaíonn “an Príomh-Acht” an tAcht Leictreachais (Soláthar), 1927;
ciallaíonn “taifead” aon leabhar, doiciméad nó aon ábhar scríofa nó clóite eile i bhfoirm ar bith lena n-áirítear aon fhaisnéis a bheidh á stóráil, á cothabháil nó á coinneáil trí aon fheiste mheicniúil nó leictreonach, cibé acu atá nó nach bhfuil sí á stóráil, á cothabháil nó á coinneáil i bhfoirm inléite;
ciallaíonn “cineálacha in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh” fuinneamh a úsáidtear le linn leictreachas a tháirgeadh ar fuinneamh é a úsáideann ceann amháin díobh seo a leanas nó níos mó ná ceann amháin díobh in éineacht mar fhoinse phríomhúil dó:
(a) gaoth,
(b) hidreafhuinneamh,
(c) bithmhais,
(d) dramhaíl, lena n-áirítear teas dramhaíola,
(e) bithbhreosla,
(f) fuinneamh geoiteirmeach,
(g) cealla breosla,
(h) fuinneamh taoide,
(i) grianfhuinneamh,
(j) tonnfhuinneamh;
ciallaíonn “áitreabh aonair” foirgneamh nó déanmhas amháin nó níos mó, atá ar áitiú agus in úsáid ag duine, i gcás go bhfuil gach foirgneamh nó déanmhas le hais an fhoirgnimh nó an déanmhais eile, nó tadhlach leis;
ciallaíonn “soláthar”, i ndáil le leictreachas, soláthar trí línte leictreachais do chustaiméirí deiridh lena thomhailt;
ciallaíonn “tarchur”, i ndáil le leictreachas, leictreachas a iompar trí bhíthin córais tarchurtha, is é sin le rá, córas arb é atá ann, go hiomlán nó go formhór, línte ardvoltais agus gléasra leictreachais agus a úsáidtear chun leictreachas a iompar ó stáisiún giniúna chug fo-stáisiún, ó stáisiún giniúna go stáisiún giniúna eile, ó fho-stáisiún go fo-stáisiún eile nó chuig aon idirnascaire nó uaidh nó chuig custaiméirí deiridh ach ní fholóidh sé aon línte den sórt sin a sonróidh an Bord, ó am go chéile, le ceadú an Choimisiúin, gur cuid den chóras dáilte iad ach folóidh sé aon idirnascaire atá ar úinéireacht ag an mBord.
(2) San Acht seo—
(a) aon tagairt d'alt nó do Sceideal is tagairt í d'alt den Acht seo nó do Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo, mura gcuirtear in iúl gur tagairt d'achtachán éigin eile atá beartaithe,
(b) aon tagairt d'fho-alt, do mhír nó d'fhomhír, is tagairt í d'fho-alt, do mhír nó d'fhomhír den fhoráil ina bhfuil an tagairt, mura gcuirtear in iúl gur tagairt d'fhoráil éigin eile atá beartaithe, agus
(c) aon tagairt do chomhlíonadh feidhmeanna folaíonn sí, maidir le cumhachtaí agus dualgais, tagairt d'fheidhmiú cumhachtaí agus do chomhall dualgas.
(3) Déanfar tagairt d'aon achtachán a fhorléiriú mar thagairt don achtachán sin arna leasú, arna oiriúnú nó arna leathnú le haon achtachán dá éis sin nó faoi, lena n-áirítear an tAcht seo.
(4) Féadfaidh an tAire ó am go ham, le hordú, an míniú ar fhoinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh a leasú trína thuilleadh foinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh a chur leis.
Orduithe a leagan, etc.
3.—Déanfar gach ordú, seachas orduithe faoi alt 1 (2) nó alt 27 (6), nó rialacháin arna ndéanamh ag an Aire, i gcás orduithe nó rialachán arna ndéanamh ag an Aire, nó arna ndéanamh ag an gCoimisiún, i gcás orduithe nó rialachán arna ndéanamh ag an gCoimisiún, a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a dhéanta agus má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin, laistigh den 21 lá a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an t-ordú nó an rialachán a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú an ordaithe nó an rialacháin, beidh an t-ordú nó an rialachán ar neamhní dá réir sin, ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin ordú nó faoin rialachán.
Fógraí a sheirbheáil.
4.—(1) Déanfar aon fhógra a cheanglaítear a sheirbheáil nó a thabhairt leis an Acht seo nó faoi a dhíriú chuig an duine lena mbaineann agus a sheirbheáil nó a thabhairt ar cheann de na slite seo a leanas—
(a) trína dhíriú chuig an duine faoina ainm nó faoina hainm agus trína sheachadadh air nó uirthi,
(b) trína fhágáil ag an seoladh ag a bhfuil gnáthchónaí ar an duine,
(c) trína chur leis an bpost i litir chláraithe réamhíoctha a bheidh dírithe chuig an duine ag an seoladh ag a bhfuil gnáthchónaí air nó uirthi,
(d) más rud é go mbeidh seoladh le haghaidh seirbheáil fógraí tugtha ag an duine, trína fhágáil ag an seoladh sin nó trína chur leis an bpost cláraithe réamhíoctha, agus é dírithe chuige nó chuici, chuig an seoladh sin, nó
(e) i gcás nach féidir an seoladh ag a bhfuil gnáthchónaí ar an duine a fháil amach le fiosrú réasúnach agus go gceanglaítear fógra a sheirbheáil air nó uirthi, nó a thabhairt dó nó di, i leith aon áitribh, trína sheachadadh ar dhuine os cionn 16 bliana d'aois a bhfuil cónaí air nó uirthi san áitreabh nó atá fostaithe ar an áitreabh, nó trína ghreamú in áit fheiceálach ar an áitreabh nó gar dó.
(2) I gcás nach féidir ainm an duine lena mbaineann a fháil amach le fiosrú réasúnach, féadfar fógra faoin Acht seo a dhíriú chuig “an t-áititheoir”, “an t-úinéir” nó “an duine i gceannas”, de réir mar a bheidh.
(3) Chun críocha an ailt seo, measfar gnáthchónaí a bheith ar chuideachta a bheidh cláraithe faoi Achtanna na gCuideachtaí, 1963 go 1990, ag a hoifig chláraithe, agus measfar gnáthchónaí a bheith ar gach comhlacht corpraithe eile agus ar gach comhlacht neamhchorpraithe ag a phríomhoifig nó ag a áit ghnó.
(4) Ní dhéanfaidh duine, aon tráth i rith na tréimhse 3 mhí tar éis fógra a ghreamú faoi fho-alt (1) (e), an fógra a thabhairt chun siúil, a dhamáistiú nó a aghlot gan údarás dleathach agus beidh aon duine a sháróidh an fo-alt seo ciontach i gcion.
(5) Aon duine a bheidh ciontach i gcion faoi fho-alt (4) dlífear, ar é nó í a chiontú go hachomair, fíneáil nach mó ná £1,500 a chur air nó uirthi.
Cionta ag comhlachtaí corpraithe.
5.—(1) I gcás cion faoin Acht seo a bheith déanta ag comhlacht corpraithe agus go gcruthófar go ndearnadh é le toiliú nó le cúlcheadú, nó gurb inchurtha é i leith aon fhaillí ar thaobh, aon duine is stiúrthóir, bainisteoir, rúnaí nó oifigeach eile de chuid an chomhlachta chorpraithe, nó aon duine a d'airbheartaigh a bheith ag gníomhú in aon cháil den sórt sin, beidh an duine sin, chomh maith leis an gcomhlacht corpraithe, ciontach i gcion agus dlífear imeachtaí a shaothrú ina choinne nó ina coinne agus é nó í a phionósú amhail is dá mbeadh sé nó sí ciontach sa chion céadluaite.
(2) I gcás gurb iad comhaltaí comhlachta chorpraithe a bhainistíonn gnóthaí an chomhlachta chorpraithe sin, beidh feidhm ag fo-alt (1) i ndáil le gníomhartha agus mainneachtainí comhalta i dtaca lena fheidhmeanna nó lena feidhmeanna bainistíochta amhail is dá mba stiúrthóir nó bainisteoir de chuid an chomhlachta chorpraithe é nó í.
Cionta a ionchúiseamh.
6.—(1) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún imeachtaí achoimre i leith cionta faoin Acht seo a thionscnamh agus a thabhairt ar aghaidh.
(2) D'ainneoin alt 10(4) den Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, féadfar imeachtaí achoimre i leith ciona faoin Acht seo a thionscnamh laistigh de 12 mhí ó dháta an chiona.
An tAire do dhéanamh orduithe.
7.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire céatadán níos mó a fhorordú ná an céatadán a shonraítear sa mhíniú ar theas is cumhacht in éineacht.
(2) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo, lena n-áirítear ordú arna dhéanamh faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú.
CUID II
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais a Bhunú
An Coimisiún a bhunú.
8.—(1) Déanfaidh an tAire, le hordú, lá a cheapadh chun bheith ina lá bunaithe chun críocha an Achta seo.
(2) Ar an lá bunaithe beidh comhlacht arna bhunú ar a dtabharfar, sa Ghaeilge, an Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais nó, sa Bhéarla, The Commission for Electricity Regulation agus dá ngairtear an “Coimisiún” san Acht seo chun na feidhmeanna a shanntar dó leis an Acht seo a chomhlíonadh.
(3) Beidh feidhm ag an Sceideal maidir leis an gCoimisiún.
(4) Beidh an Coimisiún ina chomhlacht corpraithe agus comharbas suthain agus gnáthshéala aige agus beidh cumhacht agartha aige agus beidh sé inagartha faoina ainm corpraithe agus beidh cumhacht aige talamh nó leas i dtalamh a fháil, a shealbhú agus a dhiúscairt, agus aon mhaoin eile a fháil, a shealbhú agus a dhiúscairt.
(5) Fíordheimhneofar séala an Choimisiúin le síniú chathaoirleach an Choimisiúin, nó le sínithe aon chomhalta eile den Choimisiún agus comhalta d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin ar daoine iad a bheidh údaraithe ag an gCoimisiún chun gníomhú chuige sin.
(6) Tabharfar aird bhreithiúnach ar shéala an Choimisiúin agus glacfar i bhfianaise gach doiciméad a airbheartóidh gur ionstraim é a rinne an Coimisiún agus a bheith séalaithe le séala an Choimisiúin (a airbheartóidh a bheith fíordheimhnithe de réir an ailt seo) agus measfar gurb é an ionstraim sin é gan chruthúnas mura suífear a mhalairt.
Feidhmeanna an Choimisiúin.
9.—(1) Beidh na feidhmeanna seo a leanas ag an gCoimisiún, eadhon—
(a) tograí do chóras conarthaí agus socruithe eile, lena n-áirítear cearta agus oibleagáidí cuí, i gcomhair trádáil i leictreachas a fhoilsiú, de bhun ordacháin nó ordachán i dtaobh beartais ón Aire a chuirfear ar fáil go poiblí nuair a thabharfar don Choimisiún é nó iad,
(b) gabháil do phróiseas comhchomhairle poiblí maidir leis na nósanna imeachta a bheidh le glacadh ag an gCoimisiún chun na tograí a tharraingeofar suas faoi mhír (a) a chur i ngníomh,
(c) comhairle a thabhairt don Aire maidir le héifeacht ghiniúint an leictreachais i ndáil le hinmharthanacht, agus maidir le comhaontuithe idirnáisiúnta ar an gcomhshaol ar páirtí iontu an Stát nó a dtagann an Stát chun bheith ina pháirtí iontu,
(d) tar éis an phróisis comhchomhairle phoiblí dá dtagraítear i mír (b), agus nithe a ardaítear sa phróiseas comhchomhairle poiblí á gcur i gcuntas, rialacháin a dhéanamh, faoi réir thoiliú an Aire, lena mbunófar córas trádála i leictreachas, lena n-áirítear an Coimisiún do dhéanamh maoirseachta agus athbhreithniú ar chóras den sórt sin, agus
(e) comhairle a thabhairt don Aire maidir le forbairt thionscal an leictreachais agus maidir le feidhmiú fheidhmeanna an Aire faoin Acht seo.
(2) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1)(a), áireofar in ordachán i dtaobh beartais ón Aire ordachán á rá go gcumasóidh nósanna imeachta an Choimisiúin orduithe a dhéanfaidh an tAire faoi ailt 39 agus 40 a chur i ngníomh.
(3) Beidh sé de dhualgas ar an Aire agus ar an gCoimisiún a bhfeidhmeanna a chomhall agus na cumhachtaí a thugtar dóibh faoin Acht seo a fheidhmiú ar mhodh—
(a) nach ndéanfaidh idirdhealú go héagórach idir sealbhóirí ceadúnas, údaruithe agus an Bord ná idir iarratasóirí ar údaruithe nó ar cheadúnais, agus
(b) a mheasfaidh an tAire nó an Coimisiún, de réir mar a bheidh, a chosnaíonn leasanna custaiméirí deiridh.
(4) Le linn an dualgas a fhorchuirtear le fo-alt (3) a chomhall, tabharfaidh an tAire agus an Coimisiún aird ar an ngá atá ann:
(a) iomaíocht a chur chun cinn i nginiúint agus i soláthar leictreachais de réir an Achta seo;
(b) a áirithiú go ndéanfar gach éileamh réasúnach ó chustaiméirí deiridh leictreachais ar leictreachas a shásamh;
(c) a áirithiú gur féidir le sealbhóirí ceadúnas maoiniú a dhéanamh ar na gníomhaíochtaí a ghabháil de láimh a bhfuil siad ceadúnaithe lena ngabháil de láimh;
(d) sábháilteacht agus éifeachtúlacht ar thaobh gnóthas leictreachais a chur chun cinn;
(e) leanúnachas, áirithiú agus cáilíocht soláthairtí leictreachais a chur chun cinn; agus
(f) úsáid cineálacha in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh a chur chun cinn.
(5) Gan dochar d'fho-ailt (3) agus (4), beidh de dhualgas ar an gCoimisiún:
(a) caomhnú an chomhshaoil a chur i gcuntas;
(b) úsáid agus táirgeadh éifeachtúil leictreachais a spreagadh;
(c) riachtanais custaiméirí tuaithe, daoine faoi mhíbhuntáiste agus na sean a chur i gcuntas;
(d) taighde agus forbairt a spreagadh—
(i) ar mhodhanna chun leictreachas a ghiniúint trí chineálacha in-athnuaite, inmharthana agus malartacha fuinnimh, agus teas is cumhacht in éineacht, a úsáid, agus
(ii) ar mhodhanna le héifeachtúlacht a mhéadú in úsáid agus táirgeadh leictreachais;
agus
(e) a cheangal go dtabharfaidh an t-oibritheoir córais tosaíocht do stáisiúin ghiniúna a úsáideann foinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh nuair a bheidh stáisiúin ghiniúna á roghnú.
Ordacháin don Choimisiún.
10.—(1) Faoi réir fho-ailt (2) agus (4), féadfaidh an tAire ordacháin a thabhairt don Choimisiún i dtaobh a fheidhmeanna faoin Acht seo a chomhlíonadh, lena n-áirítear ordacháin i ndáil le téarmaí agus coinníollacha ceadúnas.
(2) Ní thabharfaidh an tAire ordacháin ina leith seo a leanas—
(a) na daoine a bhféadfar ceadúnais nó údaruithe a dheonú dóibh, nó
(b) comhlíonadh fheidhmeanna an Choimisiúin i ndáil le sealbhóirí aonair ceadúnas nó údaruithe, i ndáil le custaimeirí cáilithe aonair nó i ndáil leis an mBord.
(3) Déanfaidh an Coimisiún de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an tAire faoi fho-alt (1).
(4) Beidh an t-alt seo arna aisghairm an 19ú lá d'Fheabhra, 2000.
Oifigigh údaraithe.
11.—(1) San alt seo ciallaíonn “duine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo” an Bord nó sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú.
(2) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún daoine a cheapadh chun bheith ina n-oifigigh údaraithe chun críocha an ailt seo.
(3) Déanfaidh an Coimisiún deimhniú a cheapacháin nó a ceapacháin a thabhairt, tráth a cheaptha nó a ceaptha, do dhuine a cheapfar faoi fho-alt (2) agus le linn dó nó di cumhacht a thugtar le fo-alt (4) a fheidhmiú, déanfaidh sé nó sí, má iarrann aon duine a ndéanann an feidhmiú sin difear dó nó di é, an deimhniú sin a thabhairt ar aird don duine sin lena iniúchadh.
(4) Chun críocha fheidhmiú a fheidhmeanna faoin Acht seo ag an gCoimisiún, féadfaidh oifigeach údaraithe—
(a) dul isteach aon tráth réasúnach in aon áitreabh atá ar úinéireacht nó ar áitiú ag duine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo chun aon chumhachtaí a thugtar dó nó di leis an bhfo-alt seo a fheidhmiú,
(b) a cheangal ar dhuine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo nó ar aon chomhalta, oifigeach nó fostaí de chuid an duine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo aon leabhair, doiciméid nó taifid atá faoi chumhacht nó faoi rialú an duine sin a thabhairt ar aird don oifigeach údaraithe, agus i gcás faisnéise i bhfoirm neamh-inléite, í a atáirgeadh i bhfoirm inléite,
(c) aon leabhair, doiciméid agus taifid a iniúchadh agus sleachta a thógáil astu nó cóipeanna a dhéanamh díobh (lena n-áirítear, i gcás faisnéise i bhfoirm neamh-inléite, cóip den fhaisnéis sin nó sliocht aisti i mbuanfhoirm inléite), agus
(d) a cheangal ar dhuine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo cibé leabhair, doiciméid agus taifid a chothabháil ar feadh cibé tréimhse nó tréimhsí ama a ordóidh an t-oifigeach údaraithe.
(5) I gcás go gcoiscfear ar oifigeach údaraithe, ag feidhmiú a chumhachtaí dó nó ag feidhmiú a cumhachtaí di faoin alt seo, dul isteach in aon áitreabh, féadfar iarratas a dhéanamh faoi alt 12 ar bharántas á údarú dó nó di dul isteach amhlaidh.
(6) Maidir le haon duine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo—
(a) a chuirfidh bac nó treampán ar oifigeach údaraithe i bhfeidhmiú cumhachta faoin alt seo,
(b) a mhainneoidh nó a dhiúltóidh déanamh de réir ceanglais faoin alt seo,
(c) a dhéanfaidh aon leabhair, doiciméid nó taifid a ceanglaíodh ar an duine lena mbaineann a thabhairt ar aird, nó a bhféadfaidh ionchas réasúnach a bheith aige nó aici go gceanglófar air nó uirthi iad a thabhairt ar aird, a athrú, a choinneáil siar nó a dhíothú go feasach, nó
(d) a dhéanfaidh, go feasach, ráiteas atá bréagach nó míthreorach i bponc ábhartha a thabhairt don Choimisiún nó d'oifigeach údaraithe,
beidh sé nó sí ciontach i gcion agus dlífear, ar é nó í a chiontú go hachomair, fíneáil nach mó ná £1,500, nó príosúnacht ar feadh tréimhse nach faide ná 12 mhí nó, de rogha na Cúirte Dúiche, an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúnacht sin le chéile, a chur air nó uirthi.
Barántais chuardaigh.
12.—Más deimhin le breitheamh den Chúirt Dúiche ar fhaisnéis faoi mhionn ó oifigeach údaraithe go bhfuil forais réasúnacha amhrais ann go ndearnadh sárú ar choinníoll nó ceanglas ceadúnais nó údaraithe, féadfaidh an breitheamh barántas a eisiúint á údarú don oifigeach údaraithe, agus oifigigh údaraithe eile nó comhaltaí den Gharda Síochána ina theannta nó ina teannta, dul isteach, le forneart réasúnach más gá, i cibé áitreabh a bheidh sonraithe sa bharántas, aon tráth nó tráthanna laistigh de mhí amháin ó dháta eisiúna an bharántais, ar an mbarántas a thabhairt ar aird má cheanglaítear amhlaidh, agus gach ceann nó aon cheann de na cumhachtaí a thugtar d'oifigeach údaraithe faoi alt 11 a fheidhmiú.
Toirmeasc ar nochtadh neamhúdaraithe faisnéise.
13.—(1) Ach amháin mar a fhoráiltear a mhalairt le dlí, ní dhéanfaidh duine faisnéis faoi rún arna fáil aige nó aici agus é nó í ag comhlíonadh dualgas mar chomhalta den Choimisiún, nó mar chomhalta d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin, nó mar chomhairleoir nó sainchomhairleoir don Choimisiún nó mar oifigeach údaraithe don Choimisiún, a nochtadh, mura mbeidh sé nó sí údaraithe go cuí ag an gCoimisiún déanamh amhlaidh.
(2) Aon duine a sháróidh fo-alt (1) beidh sé nó sí ciontach i gcion agus ar é nó í a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná £1,500, nó príosúnacht ar feadh tréimhse nach faide ná 12 mhí nó, de rogha na Cúirte Dúiche, an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúnacht sin le chéile, a chur air nó uirthi.
(3) (a) San alt seo ciallaíonn “faisnéis faoi rún” faisnéis a déarfaidh an Coimisiún a bheith faoi rún maidir le faisnéis áirithe nó maidir le faisnéis d'aicme nó de thuairisc áirithe.
(b) Le linn dó a rá go bhfuil faisnéis faoi rún, féachfaidh an Coimisiún don riachtanas atá ann faisnéis is de chineál atá faoi rún ó thaobh na tráchtála de a chosaint.
(4) Leasaítear leis seo an tAcht um Shaoráil Faisnéise, 1997, i ndeireadh Chuid I sa Tríú Sceideal a ghabhann leis—
(a) trí “An tAcht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999.” a chur léi i gcolún (2), agus
(c) trí “Alt 13.” a chur léi i gcolún (3).
CUID III
Ceadúnais agus Údaruithe
Ceadúnais chun leictreachas a ghiniúint agus a sholáthar.
14.—(1) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún ceadúnas a dheonú nó diúltú ceadúnas a dheonú d'aon duine—
(a) chun leictreachas a ghiniúint,
(b) chun leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméirí cáilithe,
(c) faoi réir alt 28, chun leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméirí deiridh nach mó san iomlán ná méid an leictreachais atá ar fáil don soláthróir agus a tháirgtear trí úsáid a bhaint as cineálacha in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh nó as leictreachas arna cheannach, in áit leictreachais den sórt sin, de réir na socruithe trádála dá bhforáiltear i rialacháin a dhéanfaidh an Coimisiún faoi alt 9(1)(d), nó
(d) chun leictreachas a sholáthar d'áitreabh aonair an phríomhchustaiméara teasa ar leictreachas é a tháirgtear trí úsáid a bhaint as teas is cumhacht in éineacht ag an stáisiún giniúna óna ndéantar teas, nó leictreachas arna cheannach in áit leictreachais den sórt sin, de réir na socruithe trádála dá bhforáiltear i rialacháin a dhéanfaidh an Coimisiún faoi alt 9(1)(d), a sholáthar don phríomhchustaiméir teasa sin,
ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha a shonrófar sa cheadúnas.
(2) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún ceadúnas chun leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméirí cáilithe a dheonú don Bhord, faoi réir téarmaí agus coinníollacha a shonrófar sa cheadúnas.
(3) Maidir le haon cheadúnas a dheonófar faoin alt seo measfar go bhfuil coinníoll ann go mbeidh sé faoi réir a mhodhnaithe le go gcomhlíonfaidh sé aon achtachán lena ndéantar Treoir Uimh. 96/92/CE an 19 Nollaig, 1996, ó Pharlaimint na hEorpa agus ón gComhairle maidir le comhrialacha le haghaidh an mhargaidh inmheánaigh i leictreachas a chur i ngníomh, cibé acu go hiomlan nó go páirteach.
(4) Is i scríbhinn a bheidh iarratas ar cheadúnas faoin alt seo, agus beidh sé i cibé foirm agus beidh cibé faisnéis ann a iarrfaidh an Coimisiún.
(5) Beidh cibé táille, más ann, a chinnfidh an Coimisiún is cuí, ag féachaint don iarratas a bheidh á dhéanamh, ag gabháil le hiarratas ar cheadúnas faoin alt seo, agus cuirfidh an Coimisiún faisnéis ar tháillí den sórt sin ar fáil, nuair a iarrfar í.
(6) Beidh aon cheadúnas a dheonóidh an Coimisiún—
(a) faoi réir a mhodhnaithe de réir alt 19, nó
(b) faoi réir a chúlghairthe ag an gCoimisiún de réir an Achta seo.
(7) I gcás go ndiúltóidh an Coimisiún ceadúnas a dheonú do dhuine—
(a) déanfaidh an Coimisiún na cúiseanna atá leis an diúltú a chur in iúl, i scríbhinn, don duine,
(b) déanfaidh an Coimisiún, laistigh de 28 lá ó dhiúltú ceadúnas a dheonú, na cúiseanna atá leis an diúltú a chur in iúl, i scríbhinn, do Choimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach, agus
(c) féadfaidh an duine achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an diúltaithe de réir alt 29.
(8) Féadfaidh sealbhóir ar cheadúnas a dheonófar faoi mhír (a) d'fho-alt (1) leictreachas a sholáthar do shealbhóir ar cheadúnas a dheonófar faoi mhír (b), (c) nó (d) den fho-alt sin nó don Bhord.
(9) Ní údarófar, le ceadúnas a dheonófar faoi mhír (b), (c) nó (d) d'fho-alt (1), leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméir cáilithe nó do chustaiméir deiridh go dtí tar éis an 19ú lá d'Fheabhra, 2000.
(10) Chun críocha fho-alt (1), ciallaíonn “príomhchustaiméir teasa” duine a bhfuil conradh déanta aige nó aici le táirgeoir teasa is cumhachta in éineacht chun méid teasa arna tháirgeadh ag an táirgeoir sin a cheannach, i mbliain féilire, ar méid teasa é is mó ná an méid a conraíodh a cheannach sa bhliain sin ón táirgeoir sin ag aon duine eile (más ann).
(11) Déanfaidh an Coimisiún faireachán ar cheadúnaithe chun a chinntiú go leanfaidh siad de choinníollacha agus de cheanglais uile a gceadúnas a chomhlíonadh.
(12) Beidh d'oibleagáid ar an mBord leictreachas a sholáthar do shealbhóir ceadúnais faoi fho-alt (1) de réir na socruithe trádála dá bhforáiltear i rialacháin a dhéanfaidh an Coimisiún faoi alt 9(1)(d).
Ceadanna faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht.
15.—(1) Déanfaidh duine a mbeidh cead faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht deonaithe dó nó di ar an lú lá de Mheán Fómhair, 1998, nó dá éis, iarratas ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú laistigh de 3 mhí ó theacht i ngníomh don alt seo nó cibé tréimhse eile a chomhaontóidh an Coimisiún.
(2) Aon iarratas chuig an mBord ar chead faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht nach raibh ina ábhar do chinneadh ón mBord roimh thosach feidhme an ailt seo measfar gur iarratas é ar cheadúnas faoi alt 14 agus ar údarú faoi alt 17 agus déileálfar leis dá réir sin.
(3) Aon chead a bheidh deonaithe faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht ar an lú lá de Mheán Fómhair, 1998, nó dá éis, rachaidh sé in éag 12 mhí tar éis thosach feidhme an ailt seo nó ar an gCoimisiún do dheonú ceadúnais nó údaraithe ar dháta is luaithe ná sin.
(4) Faoi réir fhorálacha an Achta seo, leanfaidh cead a bheidh deonaithe faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht roimh an 1ú lá de Mheán Fómhair, 1998, de lánfheidhm agus de lánéifeacht a bheith leis.
(5) Maidir leis an gcumhacht chun cead dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (3) nó (4) a mhodhnú nó a chúlghairm, is ag an gCoimisiún agus ní ag an mBord a bheidh sí infheidhmithe, agus maidir le haon chumhachtaí a thugtar don Bhord le cead den sórt sin, is ag an gCoimisiún agus ní ag an mBord a bheidh siad infheidhmithe.
Údaruithe chun stáisiún giniúna a fhoirgniú nó a athfhoirgniú.
16.—(1) Ní dhéanfaidh aon duine stáisiún giniúna a fhoirgniú nó a athfhoirgniú, chun leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméirí deiridh, mura mbeidh údarú deonaithe don duine ag an gCoimisiún.
(2) D'ainneoin na nAchtanna Leictreachais (Soláthar), 1927 go 1995, ní fhéadfaidh an Bord stáisiún giniúna a fhoirgniú nó a athfhoirgniú mura mbeidh údarú deonaithe dó ag an gCoimisiún.
(3) Faoi réir alt 17, féadfaidh an Coimisiún údarú a dheonú nó diúltú údarú a dheonú d'aon duine chun stáisiún giniúna a fhoirgniú nó a athfhoirgniú, faoi réir cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha a shonrófar san údarú lena n-áirítear téarmaí agus coinníollacha maidir le cumas giniúna an stáisiúin giniúna bheartaithe.
(4) Aon duine a sháróidh fo-alt (1) dlífear, ar é nó í a chiontú ar díotáil, fíneáil nach mó ná £100,000 a chur air nó uirthi.
Iarratas ar údarú.
17.—(1) Is i scríbhinn a bheidh iarratas ar údarú faoi alt 16 agus beidh sé i cibé foirm agus beidh cibé faisnéis ann a iarrfaidh an Coimisiún le réasún.
(2) Beidh cibé táille, más ann, a chinnfidh an Coimisiún ag gabháil le hiarratas ar údarú.
(3) Beidh aon údarú a dheonóidh an Coimisiún—
(a) faoi réir a mhodhnaithe de réir alt 19, nó
(b) faoi réir a chúlghairthe ag an gCoimisiún de réir an Achta seo.
(4) I gcás go ndiúltóidh an Coimisiún údarú a dheonú—
(a) déanfaidh an Coimisiún na cúiseanna atá leis an diúltú a chur in iúl, i scríbhinn, don duine, agus
(b) déanfaidh an Coimisiún, laistigh de 28 lá ó dhiúltú údarú a dheonú, na cúiseanna atá leis an diúltú a chur in iúl, i scríbhinn, do Choimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach, agus
(c) féadfaidh an duine achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh an diúltaithe de réir alt 29.
Orduithe lena sonraítear critéir maidir le hiarratais ar údaruithe a bhreithniú.
18.—(1) Sonróidh an tAire, le hordú, na critéir ar dá réir a chinnfidh an Coimisiún iarratas ar údarú.
(2) Féadfaidh baint a bheith ag na critéir a shonróidh an tAire faoi fho-alt (1) leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) sábháilteacht agus slándáil an chórais leictreachais, gléasra leictreachais agus línte tí,
(b) caomhnú an chomhshaoil lena n-áirítear teorainn a chur le hastaíochtaí isteach san atmaisféar, in uisce nó i dtalamh,
(c) suíomh stáisiúin giniúna agus úsáid talún a ghabhann leis,
(d) úsáid éifeachtúil fuinnimh,
(e) cineál na foinse fuinnimh phríomhúil a bheidh le húsáid ag stáisiún giniúna,
(f) cáilíochtaí iarratasóra, lena n-áirítear cáilíochtaí teicniúla agus airgeadais an iarratasóra, agus
(g) oibleagáidí seirbhíse poiblí dá bhforálfar in ordú faoi alt 39.
(3) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú faoin alt seo, lena n-áirítear ordú a dhéanfar faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú nó a chúlghairm.
(4) Ní dhéanfar ordú faoi fho-alt (3) mura ndéanfar fógra á rá go bhfuiltear chun ordú den sórt sin a dhéanamh a fhoilsiú i nuachtán laethúil a fhoilsítear agus a scaiptear sa Stát mí amháin ar a laghad roimh dhéanamh an ordaithe.
(5) Déanfaidh an tAire cóip den dréacht-ordú a bheartaítear a dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (3) a thabhairt, ar an táille fhorordaithe, más ann, a íoc, d'aon duine a iarrann í, agus déarfar, san fhógra á rá go bhfuiltear chun ordú a dhéanamh a fhoilseofar faoi fho-alt (4), gur féidir cóip den sórt sin a fháil amhlaidh.
(6) Ní dhéanfar socrú le hordú faoin alt seo maidir le comhleá núicléach a úsáid chun leictreachas a ghiniúint.
Ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú.
19.—(1) Más rud é go n-iarrann sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú amhlaidh féadfaidh an Coimisiún coinníollacha nó ceanglais an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe a mhodhnú.
(2) I gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin gur cóir ceadúnas nó údarú a leasú féadfaidh sé déanamh amhlaidh fara nó d'éagmais thoiliú shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe, de réir mar a bheidh.
(3) I gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin gur modhnú d'aicme a cheanglaítear a dhéanamh le hordú ón Aire arna dhéanamh faoi alt 39 nó 40 é modhnú ar choinníoll nó ar cheanglas ceadúnais nó údaraithe, féadfaidh an Coimisiún coinníollacha nó ceanglais an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann a mhodhnú d'éagmais thoiliú shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe sin, de réir mar a bheidh.
Nósanna imeachta a bheidh le leanúint sula ndéanfar ceadúnais nó údaruithe a mhodhnú.
20.—(1) Beidh feidhm ag fo-ailt (2) go (6) maidir le gach modhnú ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú seachas modhnú a dhéanfar chun éifeacht a thabhairt d'ordú faoi alt 39 nó 40.
(2) Sula ndéanfaidh sé ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú eiseoidh an Coimisiún fógra—
(a) ina ndéarfar go bhfuil sé beartaithe aige an modhnú sin a dhéanamh,
(b) ina ndéarfar cén cineál modhnaithe é agus cad iad na cúiseanna atá leis, agus
(c) ina sonrófar an tréimhse (nach lú ná 28 lá ó dháta foilsithe an fhógra) inar féidir uiríll nó agóidí maidir leis an modhnú beartaithe a dhéanamh.
(3) Breithneoidh an Coimisiún aon uiríll nó agóidí a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (2) agus nach dtarraingeofar siar.
(4) Déanfar fógra faoi fho-alt (2) a thabhairt—
(a) tríd an bhfógra a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát, agus
(b) trí chóip den fhógra a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe.
(5) Déanfaidh an Coimisiún cóip d'fhógra a eiseofar faoi fho-alt (2) a chur chuig an Aire agus socróidh an tAire, gan moill mhíchuí, cóip den fhógra a sholáthar do leabharlann an Oireachtais.
(6) Más rud é, laistigh den tréimhse a shonrófar i bhfo-alt (2)(c), nach ndéanfar aon agóidí nó uiríll nó, maidir le cibé agóidí nó uiríll a dhéanfar sa tréimhse sin, go dtarraingeofar siar dá éis sin iad, beidh éifeacht dá réir sin leis an modhnú ar an gceadúnas nó ar an údarú lena mbaineann.
(7) Más rud é nach dtarraingeofar siar agóidí nó uiríll a dhéanfar laistigh den tréimhse a shonraítear i bhfo-alt (2)(c)—
(a) féadfaidh an Coimisiún glacadh leis na hagóidí nó na huiríll sin, go hiomlán nó go páirteach, nó diúltú dóibh, agus beidh éifeacht dá réir sin leis an modhnú, nó
(b) i gcás gur deimhin leis go bhfuil forais leordhóthanacha ann chun éisteacht phoiblí a sheoladh, féadfaidh an Coimisiún a chur faoi deara éisteacht phoiblí den sórt sin a sheoladh.
(8) I gcás go ndiúltóidh an Coimisiún d'aon agóidí nó uiríll a dhéanfar faoin alt seo gan éisteacht phoiblí a sheoladh, déanfar na cúiseanna gur diúltaíodh dóibh, agus gur diúltaíodh éisteacht phoiblí a sheoladh, a chur in iúl do na daoine a rinne na hagóidí nó na huiríll sin agus déanfar an modhnú beartaithe de réir alt 22(3).
Éisteachtaí poiblí an Choimisiúin.
21.—(1) Más rud é go mbeartóidh an Coimisiún éisteacht phoiblí a sheoladh faoi alt 20(7)(b) eiseoidh sé ráiteas ina luafar—
(a) an dáta (ar dáta é nach lú ná 28 lá ón dáta a dtabharfar fógra) ar a mbeartaítear an éisteacht a sheoladh, agus
(b) an t-ionad ina mbeartaítear an éisteacht a sheoladh.
(2) Déanfar fógra dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1) a thabhairt—
(a) tríd an bhfógra a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát, agus
(b) tríd an bhfógra a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann agus ar aon daoine a rinne agóidí nó uiríll sa tréimhse dá dtagraítear in alt 20(2)(c).
(3) Beidh éisteachtaí uile an Choimisiúin ar oscailt do dhaoine den phobal agus féadfar iad a sheoladh os comhair an Choimisiúin nó aon duine eile a bheidh údaraithe ag an gCoimisiún chun éisteacht den sórt sin a sheoladh agus folóidh tagairtí don Choimisiún i bhfo-alt (4) tagairtí d'aon duine eile a bheidh údaraithe amhlaidh.
(4) Ag éisteacht phoiblí a sheolfar chun críocha an ailt seo—
(a) féadfar éisteacht a thabhairt do na daoine sin a rinne agóidí nó uiríll sa tréimhse dá dtagraítear in alt 20(2)(c),
(b) féadfaidh an Coimisiún leas aon duine a dhéanfaidh iarratas ar bheith ina pháirtí nó ina páirtí san éisteacht a mheasúnú agus féadfaidh sé iad a ligean isteach nó a eisiamh ar chúiseanna sonraithe, agus
(c) féadfaidh an Coimisiún daoine a chur faoi mhionn, fógraí a eisiúint, subpoena a eisiúint, iallach a chur ar fhinnéithe freastal agus leabhair, cuntais, páipéir, taifid, doiciméid agus ábhar a thabhairt ar aird agus fianaise a thógáil agus a ghlacadh.
(5) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an Aire, rialacha a dhéanamh maidir leis an gcleachtas agus na nósanna imeachta a ghlacfar ag éisteachtaí poiblí den sórt sin.
(6) Beidh finné os comhair éisteachta poiblí i dteideal na ndíolúintí agus na bpribhléidí céanna amhail is dá mba fhinné os comhair na hArd-Chúirte é nó í.
Cinneadh ón gCoimisiún i ndiaidh éisteachta poiblí.
22.—(1) Laistigh de thréimhse réasúnach ón dáta a gcríochnófar éisteacht phoiblí, déanfaidh an Coimisiún cinneadh—
(a) ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú de réir an mhodhnaithe bheartaithe a leagtar amach san fhógra arna eisiúint faoi alt 20(2)(b) nó ar shlí eile, nó
(b) gan an modhnú lena mbaineann a dhéanamh.
(2) Tabharfar fógra maidir le cinneadh a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (1) do shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann agus d'aon pháirtithe san éisteacht agus cuirfidh an Coimisiún an cinneadh ar fáil d'aon duine eile ar é a iarraidh.
(3) Faoi réir fho-alt (4), déanfar modhnú ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú—
(a) trí fhógra faoin modhnú a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann, agus
(b) tríd an bhfógra a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát.
(4) Beidh éifeacht le modhnú ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú ar an lá atá 28 lá tar éis an lae—
(a) a dhéanfar fógra faoin modhnú a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann, nó
(b) a dhéanfar fógra faoin modhnú ar an gceadúnas nó ar an údarú lena mbaineann a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát,
cibé acu is déanaí, mura ndéanfar achomharc faoi alt 29(2) agus sa chás sin ní thiocfaidh an modhnú in éifeacht, mura ndaingneofar é faoi alt 30(7).
Ordacháin ón gCoimisiún chun sláinte an phobail a chosaint, etc.
23.—(1) San alt seo agus in ailt 24, 25 agus 26 ciallaíonn “coinníoll nó ceanglas” aon téarma nó coinníoll de chuid ceadúnais nó údaraithe nó aon cheanglas a fhorchuirtear leis an Acht seo nó faoi.
(2) I gcás gur deimhin leis an gCoimisiún gur tharla, nó gur dócha go dtarlóidh, gach ceann nó aon cheann de na himthosca atá leagtha amach i bhfo-alt (3), féadfaidh an Coimisiún a ordú do shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann nó don Bhord i leith an chórais tarchurtha agus dáilte scor de chleachtais shonraithe nó staonadh uathu.
(3) Is iad na himthosca dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (2) ná—
(a) i gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin go bhfuil gá le gníomhaíocht láithreach chun na nithe seo a leanas a chosaint—
(i) sláinte nó sábháilteacht an phobail nó an comhshaol,
(ii) leanúnachas soláthairtí leictreachais,
(iii) leasanna sealbhóirí eile ceadúnas nó údaruithe;
(b) i gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin go bhfuil sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú ag sárú coinníll nó ceanglais, nó gur dóigh dó nó di coinníoll nó ceanglas a shárú, agus go bhfuil gá le gníomhaíocht láithreach chun go scoirfear den sárú sin nó chun é a chosc; nó
(c) i gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin go bhfuil gá le gníomhaíocht láithreach chun diomailt sócmhainní sealbhóra ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú a chosc.
(4) Ní údarófar le haon ní san alt seo don Choimisiún ordacháin a thabhairt i ndail le díospóidí tionscail.
An Coimisiún d'eisiúint fógra i dtaobh sáruithe, etc.
24.—(1) I gcás gurb é tuairim an Choimisiúin go bhféadfadh sé go bhfuil sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú ag sárú coinníll nó ceanglais nó gur dóigh dó nó di coinníoll nó ceanglas a shárú, féadfaidh sé fógra a eisiúint faoi fho-alt (2) chuig sealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe.
(2) Maidir leis an bhfógra dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1)—
(a) sonrófar ann—
(i) an coinníoll nó an ceanglas a mheasann an Coimisiún go bhféadfadh sé go bhfuil sealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe á shárú nó gur dóigh dó nó di é a shárú, nó
(ii) na gníomhartha nó na neamhghníomhartha arb é tuairim an Choimisiúin ina leith gur sárú iad, nó gur dóigh gur shárú iad, ar an gcoinníoll nó ar an gceanglas lena mbaineann,
agus
(b) sonrófar ann an tréimhse (nach lú ná 28 lá ón dáta a n-eiseofar an fógra) ar féidir uiríll nó agóidí a dhéanamh laistigh di.
(3) Breithneoidh an Coimisiún aon uiríll nó agóidí a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (2) agus nach dtarraingeofar siar.
(4) Ar aon uiríll nó agóidí a bhreithniú, féadfaidh an Coimisiún ordachán a thabhairt do shealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú cibé bearta a dhéanamh is gá chun scor den sárú nó chun sárú sa todhchaí a chosc.
(5) A luaithe is indéanta tar éis ordachán a thabhairt de réir fho-alt (4) nó alt 23(2) tabharfaidh an Coimisiún fógra faoin ordachán de réir fho-alt (10).
(6) Faoi réir fho-alt (7), féadfaidh an Coimisiún ordachán a thabharfar faoin alt seo a chúlghairm.
(7) Sula ndéanfaidh sé ordachán a chúlghairm, tabharfaidh an Coimisiún fógra de réir fho-alt (10)—
(a) ina ndéarfar go bhfuil sé beartaithe aige an t-ordachán a chúlghairm agus ina leagfar amach éifeacht na cúlghairme, agus
(b) ina sonrófar an tréimhse (nach lú ná 28 lá ó fhoilsiú an fhógra) ar féidir uiríll nó agóidí maidir leis an gcúlghairm bheartaithe a dhéanamh laistigh di.
(8) Breithneoidh an Coimisiún aon uiríll nó agóidí a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (7) agus nach dtarraingeofar siar.
(9) Más rud é, tar éis fógra faoi chúlghairm arna déanamh de réir fho-alt (6) a thabhairt, go gcinneann an Coimisiún gan an t-ordachán dá dtagraíonn an fógra a chúlghairm, tabharfaidh sé fógra maidir lena chinneadh.
(10) Déanfar fógra faoin alt seo a thabhairt—
(a) tríd an bhfógra a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát, agus
(b) trí chóip den fhógra agus cóip den ordachán nó den chúlghairm, de réir mar a bheidh, a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann an fógra, an t-ordachán nó an chúlghairm.
An Coimisiún do dhéanamh cinnidh maidir le sárú sonraithe.
25.—(1) Más rud é go gcinnfidh an Coimisiún gan ordachán a tahbhairt faoi alt 24(4), féadfaidh an Coimisiún cinneadh a dhéanamh go bhfuil sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú tar éis sárú sonraithe a dhéanamh ar choinníoll nó ar cheanglas.
(2) A luaithe is indéanta tar éis cinneadh a dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (1) déanfaidh an Coimisiún—
(a) fógra faoin gcinneadh a fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát, agus
(b) cóip den fhógra agus cóip den chinneadh a sheirbheáil ar shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe lena mbaineann an cinneadh.
Déanamh de réir ordacháin nó cinnidh.
26.—(1) Chun a chinntiú go ndéanfar de réir ordacháin arna thabhairt faoi alt 24, féadfaidh an Coimisiún iarratas a dhéanamh ar shlí achomair ex parte nó iar bhfógra chun na hArd-Chúirte ar ordú á cheangal ar shealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú atá, i dtuairim an Choimisiúin, ag sárú coinníll nó ceanglais, nó ar dóigh dó nó di coinníoll nó ceanglas a shárú, scor de chleachtais shonraithe nó staonadh uathu.
(2) Féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt cibé ordú a mheasann sí is cuí a dhéanamh agus féadfaidh sí ordachán arna thabhairt ag an gCoimisiún a dhaingniú, a chúlghairm nó a athrú.
Custaiméirí cáilithe.
27.—(1) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún, le toiliú an Aire, an tslí a meastar agus a ríomhtar tomhailt leictreachais chun críche an ailt seo a fhorordú, agus aon tagairtí san alt seo do thomhailt leictreachais a ríomh nó a mheas is tagairtí iad do ríomhaireachtaí nó meastacháin arna ndéanamh faoi na rialacháin sin.
(2) Aon tomhaltóir leictreachais a meastar agus a ríomhtar gur mó, nó ar dóigh gur mó, ná 4 Gigeavata-uaire a thomhailt nó a tomhailt leictreachais in aon áitreabh aonair in aon tréimhse 12 mhí, measfar gur custaiméir cáilithe é nó í san áitreabh sin chun críocha an Achta seo.
(3) Faoi réir fho-alt (4), féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, an figiúr 4 Gigeavata-uaire dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (2) a athrú.
(4) Tabharfaidh an tAire fógra go bhfuil sé ar intinn aige nó aici ordú a dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (3) nó (5) trína fhoilsiú i nuachtán a scaiptear sa Stát 28 lá ar a laghad sula ndéanfar an t-ordú.
(5) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (3), lena n-áirítear ordú a dhéanfar faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú nó a chúlghairm.
(6) I gcás go mbeartófar ordú a dhéanamh faoin alt seo, leagfar dréacht den ordú faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas agus ní dhéanfar an t-ordú go dtí go mbeidh rún ag ceadú an dréachta rite ag gach Teach acu sin.
Leictreachas ó theas is cumhacht in éineacht a cheannach.
28.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an gCoimisiún, ó am go ham, an méid iomlán nó na méideanna iomlána leictreachais ó theas is cumhacht in éineacht a fhéadfar a sholáthar do chustaiméirí deiridh faoi alt 14(1)(d) in aon tréimhse shonraithe a fhorordú.
(2) Féadfaidh an tAire nósanna imeachta a fhorordú a bheidh le leanúint chun críocha an ailt seo, lena n-áirítear nósanna imeachta a bhaineann le rochtain ar an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte agus leis na himthosca ina soláthróidh an Bord leictreachas do na custaiméirí deiridh sin.
CUID IV
Painéil Achomhairc
Painéal Achomhairc a bhunú.
29.—(1) Tá feidhm ag an alt seo maidir leis na daoine seo a leanas—
(a) duine a ndiúltaítear dá iarratas nó dá hiarratas ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú,
(b) duine is sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú agus ar mian leis nó léi achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh cinnidh de chuid an Choimisiúin—
(i) an ceadúnas nó an t-údarú lena mbaineann a mhodhnú, seachas modhnú d'aicme a cheanglaítear le hordú arna dhéanamh faoi alt 39 nó 40, nó
(ii) diúltú an ceadúnas nó an t-údarú lena mbaineann a mhodhnú ar iarraidh ó shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe sin.
(2) Laistigh de 28 lá ó chinneadh a dhéanamh—
(a) diúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a dheonú,
(b) ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú, nó
(c) diúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú,
féadfaidh duine lena mbaineann an t-alt seo a iarraidh ar an Aire painéal a bhunú ar a dtabharfar, agus dá ngairtear san Acht seo, “Painéal Achomhairc”.
(3) Nuair a iarrfar air nó uirthi Painéal Achomhairc a bhunú, déanfaidh an tAire, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an Údarás Iomaíochta maidir le comhdhéanamh an Phainéil Achomhairc, Painéal Achomhairc a bhunú, laistigh de mhí amháin, chun achomharc arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo a bhreithniú.
(4) Is iad a bheidh ar Phainéal Achomhairc a bhunófar faoin alt seo triúr ar a laghad, agus ceapfaidh an tAire duine amháin acu chun bheith ina chathaoirleach nó ina cathaoirleach ar an bPainéal Achomhairc.
(5) Beidh ag Painéal Achomhairc na cumhachtaí agus na dualgais uile de chuid an Choimisiúin is gá chun feidhmeanna an Phainéil Achomhairc faoin Acht seo a sheoladh.
(6) Beidh Painéal Achomhairc neamhspleách i gcomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna.
(7) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú a dhéanfar faoin alt seo, lena n-áirítear ordú a dhéanfar faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú nó a chúlghairm.
(8) Déanfar gach achomharc faoi Chuid IV den Acht seo a chinneadh laistigh de shé mhí.
Feidhmeanna an Phainéil Achomhairc.
30.—(1) Déanfaidh Painéal Achomhairc achomharc in aghaidh na nithe seo a leanas a éisteacht agus a chinneadh—
(a) diúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a dheonú,
(b) modhnú, nó
(c) diúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú,
agus sonróidh sé, iar bhfógra don Choimisiún agus don achomharcóir, an dáta a n-éistfear an t-achomharc.
(2) Beidh ag Painéal Achomhairc na cumhachtaí, na cearta agus na pribhléidí a dhílsítear don Ard-Chúirt nó do bhreitheamh den Ard-Chúirt ar chaingean a éisteacht—
(a) maidir lena thabhairt ar fhinnéithe freastal agus maidir lena gceistiú faoi mhionn nó ar shlí eile, agus
(b) maidir le hiallach a chur ar dhaoine doiciméid a thabhairt ar aird.
(3) Féadfar toghairm a bheidh sínithe ag cathaoirleach an Phainéil Achomhairc nó ag cibé comhalta eile den Phainéal Achomhairc a bheidh údaraithe ag an bPainéal Achomhairc a chur in ionad aon nós imeachta foirmiúil, agus is ionann di agus d'aon nós imeachta forimiúil, a fhéadfar a eisiúint i gcaingean chun a thabhairt ar fhinnéithe freastal agus chun iallach a chur ar dhaoine doiciméid a thabhairt ar aird.
(4) Más rud é—
(a) go mainneoidh duine freastal a dhéanamh tar éis é nó í a thoghairm go cuí chun freastal os comhair Painéil Achomhairc,
(b) go ndiúltóidh duine, ar bheith i láthair dó nó di mar fhinné os comhair Painéil Achomhairc, mionn a ghlacadh a cheanglóidh an Painéal sin air nó uirthi go dlíthiúil a ghlacadh, nó aon doiciméad atá faoi chumhacht nó faoi rialú an duine sin a thabhairt ar aird a cheanglóidh an Painéal Achomhairc sin air nó uirthi go dlíthiúil a thabhairt ar aird, nó aon cheist a fhreagairt a cheanglóidh an Painéal Achomhairc air nó uirthi go dlíthiúil a fhreagairt, nó
(c) go ndéanfaidh duine, ar bheith i láthair dó nó di os comhair Painéil Achomhairc, aon ní ar díspeagadh cúirte a bheadh ann dá mba chúirt dlí an Painéal Achomhairc agus cumhacht aici duine a chimiú mar gheall ar dhíspeagadh,
beidh an duine sin ciontach i gcion agus dlífear, ar é nó í a chiontú go hachomair, fíneáil nach mó ná £1,500 a chur air nó uirthi.
(5) Beidh teideal ag finné os comhair Painéil Achomhairc chun na ndíolúintí agus na bpribhléidí céanna a mbeadh teideal aige nó aici chucu dá mba fhinné os comhair na hArd-Chúirte é nó í.
(6) Féadfaidh Painéal Achomhairc daingniú a dhéanamh ar dhiúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a dheonú nó a ordú don Choimisiún ceadúnas nó údarú a dheonú fara nó d'éagmais coinníollacha arna leagan síos ag an bPainéal Achomhairc agus, más rud é go ndéanfar ordachán den sórt sin, déanfaidh an Coimisiún, de réir chinneadh an Phainéil Achomhairc, an ceadúnas nó an t-údarú a dheonú, faoi réir cibé coinníollacha a shonróidh an Coimisiún agus nach mbeidh ar neamhréir le cinneadh an Phainéil Achomhairc.
(7) I gcás modhnú ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú, féadfaidh an Painéal Achomhairc an modhnú a dhaingniú nó a ordú don Choimisiún gan é a dhéanamh.
(8) I gcás diúltú ceadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú, féadfaidh an Painéal Achomhairc cinneadh an Choimisiúin a dhaingniú nó a ordú don Choimisiún an ceadúnas nó an t-údarú a mhodhnú.
(9) Tabharfaidh an Painéal Achomhairc fógra do na daoine lena mbaineann i dtaobh a chinnidh i leith achomhairc faoin alt seo.
Orduithe chun Painéil Achomhairc a bhunú agus nithe gaolmhara.
31.—(1) Féadfar, le hordú arna dhéanamh ag an Aire faoi alt 29(3) chun Painéal Achomhairc a bhunú, foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) comhaltas, ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha is cuí leis an Aire, an Phainéil Achomhairc,
(b) an nós imeachta a bheidh le glacadh ag an bPainéal Achomhairc le linn dó aon ní a tharchuirfear chuige a bhreithniú, agus
(c) aon nithe eile a dhéanamh a mheasfaidh an tAire atá teagmhasach nó fóirsteanach maidir leis an bPainéal Achomhairc do sheoladh achomhairc go cuí agus go cuí agus go héifeachtach.
(2) Is é a bheidh i luach saothair comhalta de Phainéal Achomhairc, agus ina liúntais i leith caiteachas, más ann, cibé luach saothair agus cibé liúntais i leith caiteachas a chinnfidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, agus beidh siad ina gcuid de chaiteachais an Choimisiúin.
Athbhreithniú ar chinneadh ón gCoimisiún.
32.—(1) Gan dochar d'aon cheart faoin Acht seo chun achomharc a dhéanamh chuig Painéal Achomhairc, ní dhéanfaidh aon duine—
(a) bailíocht aon chinnidh ón gCoimisiún maidir le hiarratas arna dhéanamh chuige ar cheadúnas nó údarú a dheonú nó ar cheadúnas nó údarú a mhodhnú,
(b) modhnú ar cheadúnas nó údarú ag an gCoimisiún, nó
(c) cinneadh ó Phainéal Achomhairc faoi alt 30,
a cheistiú in aon imeachtaí dlí ar shlí seachas ar mhodh iarratais ar athbhreithniú breithiúnach faoi Ordú 84 de Rialacha na nUaschúirteanna (I.R. Uimh. 15 de 1986).
(2) Maidir le hiarratas ar chead chun iarratas a dhéanamh ar athbhreithniú breithiúnach i leith aon ní dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1)—
(a) déanfar é laistigh den tréimhse dhá mhí dar tosach an dáta a dtugtar an cinneadh, agus
(b) déanfar é trí fhoriarratas iar bhfógra—
(i) chuig an gCoimisiún,
(ii) más rud é nach ionann an t-iarratasóir ar chead agus an t-iarratasóir ar an gceadúnas nó ar an údarú lena mbaineann, nó sealbhóir an chéanna, chuig an iarratasóir ar an gceadúnas nó ar an údarú sin, nó chuig sealbhóir an chéanna, agus
(iii) chuig aon duine eile a shonrófar chun na críche sin le hordú ón Ard-Chúirt,
agus ní dheonófar an cead sin mura deimhin leis an Ard-Chúirt go bhfuil forais shubstaintiúla ann chun a mhaíomh go bhfuil an cinneadh neamhbhailí nó gur ceart é a neamhniú.
(3) (a) Cinneadh críochnaitheach a bheidh i gcinneadh na hArd-Chúirte maidir le hiarratas den sórt sin ar chead chun iarratas a dhéanamh ar athbhreithniú breithiúnach, nó maidir le hiarratas ar athbhreithniú breithiúnach den sórt sin, agus ní fhéadfar aon achomharc a dhéanamh chuig an gCúirt Uachtarach i gcoinne bhreith na hArd-Chúirte i gceachtar cás ach amháin le cead ón Ard-Chúirt agus ní dheonófar an cead sin ach amháin i gcás go ndeimhneoidh an Ard-Chúirt go bhfuil ponc dlí a ngabhann tábhacht phoiblí eisceachtúil leis i gceist sa bhreith uaithi agus gurb inmhianaithe ar mhaithe le leas an phobail achomharc a dhéanamh chuig an gCúirt Uachtarach.
(b) Ní bheidh feidhm ag an bhfo-alt seo maidir le cinneadh de chuid na hArd-Chúirte sa mhéid go mbaineann sé le ceist i dtaobh bhailíocht aon dlí ag féachaint d'fhorálacha an Bhunreachta.
CUID V
Rochtain ar Chórais Tarchurtha agus Dáilte
Cód eangaí agus cód dáilte a ullmhú.
33.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2), déanfaidh an Bord rialacháin, faoi réir cheadú an Choimisiún, agus laistigh de cibé am agus tar éis cibé comhchomhairle a ordóidh an Coimisiún, ar rialacháin iad ina leagfar amach cód eangaí i ndáil le córas tarchurtha an Bhoird agus cód dáilte i ndáil le córas dáilte an Bhoird.
(2) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún ordacháin a thabhairt don Bhord ó am go ham—
(a) maidir leis na nithe a bheidh le sonrú sa chód eangaí agus sa chód dáilte, agus
(b) maidir leis an mBord d'athbhreithniú agus d'athleasú an chóid eangaí agus an chóid dáilte ó am go ham,
agus déanfaidh an Bord de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an Coimisiún faoin alt seo.
(3) Déanfar gach scaoileadh faisnéise faoin alt seo a chur ar fáil laistigh de mhí amháin ón uair a iarrfar an céanna.
Téarmaí maidir le cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte agus maidir lena úsáid.
34.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (4), más rud é go ndéanfaidh aon duine iarratas chuig an mBord, déanfaidh an Bord tairiscint comhaontú a dhéanamh maidir lena chur nó lena cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte nó maidir le húsáid an chórais sin, faoi réir téarmaí agus coinníollacha a shonrófar de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an Coimisiún don Bhord ó am go ham faoin alt seo.
(2) Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1), féadfar le hordacháin arna dtabhairt ag an gCoimisiún faoin alt seo foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas:
(a) na nithe a bheidh le sonrú i gcomhaontú maidir le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte agus maidir le húsáid an chórais sin;
(b) na nithe a bheidh le sonrú i gcomhaontú maidir le húsáid an chórais tarchurtha nó dáilte;
(c) na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha ar a ndéanfar tairiscint maidir le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte;
(d) na modhanna lena gcinnfear an cion de na costais a bheidh le híoc ag an duine a bheidh ag déanamh an iarratais go ndéanfaí é nó í a cheangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte agus an cion a bheidh le híoc ag an mBord, ar costais iad a thabhófar go díreach nó go neamhdhíreach le linn oibreacha a dhéanamh faoi chomhaontú nó le linn ceangal a dhéanamh nó ceangal láithreach a mhodhnú;
(e) na téarmaí agus na coinníollacha ar a mbeidh iarratais ar chomhaontú le déanamh agus an tréimhse ama ar laistigh di a bheidh tairiscint nó diúltú de dhroim iarratais le déanamh ag an mBord; agus
(f) aon nithe eile a mheasfaidh an Coimisiún is gá nó is fóirsteanach chun tairiscint a dhéanamh maidir le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte nó maidir le húsáid an chórais sin,
agus déanfaidh an Bord de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an Coimisiún faoin alt seo laistigh de cibé tréimhse ama a shonróidh an Coimisiún.
(3) Aon tairiscint a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (1) do dhuine nach sealbhóir ar cheadúnas faoi alt 14 nó sealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 nó custaiméir cáilithe é nó í, beidh sí faoi réir ceadúnas nó údarú a dheonú don duine sin nó faoi réir an duine sin do theacht chun bheith ina chustaiméir nó ina custaiméir cáilithe.
(4) Ní cheanglófar ar an mBord faoi fho-alt (1) comhaontú a dhéanamh—
(a) más rud é go mbeidh léirithe aige chun sástacht an Choimisiúin nach é leas an phobail é cumas breise a sholáthar chun na ceanglais a bheidh le forchur leis an gcomhaontú sin a chomhlíonadh,
(b) más rud é gur dhóigh don Bhord, dá ndéanfadh sé comhaontú faoin alt seo, a bheith páirteach:
(i) i sárú ar an Acht seo;
(ii) i sárú ar rialacháin arna ndéanamh faoin Acht seo;
(iii) i sárú ar an gcód eangaí nó ar an gcód dáilte; nó
(iv) i sárú ar choinníollacha aon cheadúnais nó údaraithe a deonaíodh don Bhord faoin Acht seo,
nó
(c) más rud é nach ngeallfaidh an duine a bheidh ag déanamh an iarratais a bheith faoi cheangal ag téarmaí an chóid eangaí nó an chóid dáilte sa mhéid go mbeidh na téarmaí sin infheidhme maidir leis an duine sin.
(5) Más rud é go ndiúltóidh an Bord a thairiscint comhaontú a dhéanamh faoin alt seo seirbheálfaidh an Bord fógra ar an iarratasóir faoi na cúiseanna a bheidh leis an diúltú sin.
(6) Aon díospóid idir an Bord agus aon duine ar duine é nó í, nó a éileoidh gur duine é nó í, a bhfuil d'oibleagáid ar an mBord tairiscint a dhéanamh dó nó di maidir le cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte agus maidir le húsáid an chéanna (agus cibé acu i ndáil le déanamh tairisceana, na téarmaí a thairgtear, na muirir atá beartaithe nó i ndáil le ní eile)—
(a) más rud é go ndéanann an Bord tairiscint, nó
(b) más rud é go ndiúltaíonn an Bord tairiscint,
féadfaidh an Coimisiún, ar iarratas ón duine sin, í a chinneadh agus déanfaidh an Bord de réir an chinnidh sin agus beidh sé faoi cheangal aige.
(7) D'fhonn a áirithiú go ndéanfar de réir cinnidh arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo féadfaidh an Coimisiún, iar bhfógra don Ard-Chúirt, iarratas a dhéanamh ar an tslí achomair ar ordú á cheangal ar an mBord déanamh de réir chinneadh an Choimisiúin arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo.
(8) Nuair a bheidh socrú á dhéanamh maidir leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte a úsáid nó nuair a bheidh téarmaí á dtairiscint maidir le hoibreacha a dhéanamh chun críocha cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird, ní dhéanfaidh an Bord idirdhealú go héagórach idir aon daoine nó idir aon aicmí daoine.
Muirir as cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte agus as é a úsáid.
35.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2), déanfaidh an Bord, laistigh de cibé am a ordóidh an Coimisiún, ráiteas a ullmhú, a bheidh le ceadú ag an gCoimisiún, ina leagfar amach an bonn ar a bhforchuirtear muirir—
(a) as córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird a úsáid, agus
(b) as cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird.
(2) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún ordacháin a thabhairt don Bhord ó am go ham i leith an bhoinn le haghaidh muirear as córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird a úsáid agus as cur i gceangal leis.
(3) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-alt (2), féadfar, le hordacháin arna dtabhairt ag an gCoimisiún faoin alt seo, foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) na modhanna muirearaithe a bheidh le cur san áireamh sa ráiteas a bheidh le hullmhú ag an mBord,
(b) an fhoirm ina mbeidh faisnéis, agus méid na faisnéise, a bheidh le tabhairt ag an mBord d'iarratasóirí,
(c) foirm na muirear agus an fhaisnéis faoi na muirir sin a bheidh le cur san áireamh sa ráiteas a bheidh le hullmhú ag an mBord,
(d) an nós imeachta a bheidh le glacadh le linn don Bhord ráiteas muirear a chur isteach agus le linn don Choimisiún ráiteas den sórt sin a cheadú, agus
(e) an cineál faisnéise a bheidh le tabhairt d'iarratasóirí a bheidh ag iarraidh go gcuirfear i gceangal leis na córais tarchurtha nó dáilte iad agus cur i láthair agus trédhearcacht na faisnéise sin,
agus déanfaidh an Bord de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an Coimisiún faoin alt seo.
(4) Déanfar muirear as cur i gceangal le córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird nó as é a úsáid a ríomh de réir ordachán a thabharfaidh an Coimisiún faoin alt seo chun a chumasú don Bhord na nithe seo a leanas a ghnóthú—
(a) an cion cuí de na costais a tabhaíodh go díreach nó go neamhdhíreach ag déanamh aon oibreacha riachtanacha, agus
(b) ráta réasúnach toraidh ar an gcaipiteal arb ionannas dó na costais sin.
(5) Is é an Coimisiún, go heisiach, a chinnfidh cad is “cion cuí”, dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (4)(a), ann agus cad is “ráta réasúnach toraidh”, dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (4)(b), ann.
An Coimisiún do cheadú ráitis muirear.
36.—(1) Cuirfidh an Bord gach ráiteas arna ullmhú de réir alt 35 (dá ngairtear an “ráiteas” san alt seo) chuig an gCoimisiún lena cheadú a fháil agus ní bheidh feidhm ag an ráiteas, agus go háirithe ag aon mhuirir dá dtagraítear ann, go dtí cibé trath a bheidh sé ceadaithe ag an gCoimisiún.
(2) Rachaidh an Coimisiún i gcomhairle leis an mBord agus tabharfaidh sé aird ar aon aighneacht a chuirfidh an Bord faoi bhráid an Choimisiúin roimh chinneadh a dhéanamh i dtaobh cibé acu a cheadóidh nó nach gceadóidh sé ráiteas a bheidh curtha ag an mBord faoi bhráid an Choimisiún lena cheadú.
(3) Ní bheidh éifeacht le ráiteas agus, go háirithe, le muirir dá dtagraítear ann, go dtí cibé tráth a cheadóidh an Coimisiún é, faoi réir cibé modhnuithe, más ann, is cuí leis an gCoimisiún.
(4) Aon mhuirir arna bhforchur ag an mBord ar thosach feidhme an ailt seo, nó roimhe, leanfaidh siad i bhfeidhm, faoi reir cheadú an Choimisiúin, go dtí go mbeidh ráiteas ceadaithe ag an gCoimisiún faoin alt seo agus ina dhiaidh sin is de réir ráitis a bheidh ceadaithe ag an gCoimisiún a bheidh gach muirear.
Dír-línte.
37.—(1) Más rud é go ndiúltóidh an Bord rochtain ar an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte a chur ar fáil do shealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe nó do chustaiméirí cáilithe de bharr easpa cumais, féadfaidh an Coimisiún cead a thabhairt do shealbhóir an cheadúnais nó an údaraithe nó don chustaiméir cáilithe dá ndiúltófar amhlaidh dír-líne a dhéanamh, nach mbeidh ceangailte leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte, chun an soláthar leictreachais, ar ina leith a rinneadh agus a diúltaíodh an t-iarratas ar úsáid an chórais tarchurtha nó dáilte lena mbaineann, a éascú.
(2) Déanfar, le cead a dheonóidh an Coimisiún faoin bhfo-alt seo chun dír-líne a dhéanamh, a cheangal ar an duine dár deonaíodh an cead déanamh de réir cibé coinníollacha teicniúla agus eile, lena n-áirítear na coinníollacha sin is gá chun a chinntiú go mbeidh dírlínte ar comhréir leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte, a mhéid a shonróidh an Coimisiún sa chead.
(3) Féadfaidh úinéir dír-líne a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (1) a cheadú go n-úsáidfear an dír-líne chun leictreachas a iompar chuig custaiméirí cáilithe eile.
(4) (a) I gcás go ndéanfar ceangal idir dír-líne agus córas tarchurtha nó dáilte an Bhoird, ar iarratas ón mBord, féadfaidh an Coimisiún a ordú d'úinéir dír-líne a dhéanfar faoi fho-alt (1) úinéireacht na dír-líne a aistriú chuig an mBord ar cibé téarmaí, lena n-áirítear téarmaí maidir le cúiteamh, a chomhaontófar idir an Bord agus úinéir na dír-líne.
(a) Cheal comhaontaithe idir an Bord agus an t-úinéir maidir le cúiteamh, déanfar an cúiteamh sin a mheasúnú faoi fhorálacha an Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, agus measfar chun na críche sin gur údarás poiblí é an Bord.
Meastachán ar chumas, sreabhadh tuartha agus luchtú.
38.—(1) Ar thosach feidhme an ailt seo agus dá éis, agus i gceann cibé tréimhsí a ordóidh an Coimisiún, ullmhóidh an Bord ráiteas, (ar a dtabharfar, agus dá ngairtear san Acht seo, “ráiteas réamhaisnéise”) a bheidh bunaithe ar an bhfaisnéis a bheidh ar fáil dó, i bhfoirm a bheidh ceadaithe ag an gCoimisiún.
(2) Beidh ar áireamh i ráiteas réamhaisnéise réamhaisnéisí maidir le cumas, sreabhadh tuartha agus luchtú ar gach cuid de chóras tarchurtha an Bhoird agus leibhéil lochta do gach nód tarchurtha leictreachais mar aon leis na nithe seo a leanas:
(a) cibé faisnéis bhreise a mbeidh gá léi le réasún chun a chumasú d'aon duine a bheidh ag iarraidh an córas tarchurtha nó dáilte a úsáid na deiseanna atá ar fáil le linn cur i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha nó dáilte agus úsáid a bhaint as a shainaithint agus a mheas;
(b) ráiteas ina sainaithneofar na codanna sin de chóras tarchurtha an Bhoird is feiliúnaí do chur i gceangal nua agus do chainníochtaí breise leictreachais a iompar;
(c) an cumas giniúna is dóigh dó a chuirfear i gceangal leis an gcóras tarchurtha;
(d) an t-éileamh ar leictreachas sa tréimhse lena mbaineann an ráiteas; agus
(e) ráiteas maidir leis an éileamh ar leictreachas a ghintear ó fhoinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh i gcoitinne agus ráiteas maidir le socruithe chun leictreachas a sholáthar do chustaiméirí a roghnaigh leictreachas den sórt sin a cheannach.
(3) Féadfaidh an Bord an fhaisnéis a bheidh leagtha amach i ngach ráiteas réamhaisnéise a athleasú ó am go ham agus, le toiliú an Choimisiúin, foirm gach ráitis réamhaisnéise a athrú agus déanfaidh sé, uair sa bhliain ar a laghad, na ráitis sin a athleasú.
(4) Déanfaidh an Bord cóip de ráiteas réamhaisnéise agus de gach athleasú ar an ráiteas réamhaisnéise faoi fho-alt (3) a thabhairt don Choimisiún.
(5) Faoi réir fho-alt (6), déanfaidh an Bord cóip de ráiteas réamhaisnéise nó, de réir mar a bheidh, den athleasú is déanaí ar an ráiteas réamhaisnéise, a thabhairt d'aon duine a iarrfaidh cóip den ráiteas nó de na ráitis sin laistigh de cheithre lá dhéag ón dáta ar a bhfaighfear an iarraidh.
(6) Féadfaidh an Bord, le toiliú roimh ré ón gCoimisiún, aon sonraí faoi rún maidir leis an gcumas, maidir le luchtú nó faisnéis eile a fhágáil ar lár as ráiteas réamhaisnéise arna thabhairt faoi fho-alt (4) más rud é, i dtuairim an Choimisiúin, go ndéanfadh nochtadh na faisnéise sin dochar do leasanna tráchtála an Bhoird nó aon duine eile.
(7) Féadfaidh an Bord muirear, de mhéid nach mó ná an t-uasmhéid a shonróidh an Coimisiún chun críche an ailt seo, a ghearradh i leith gach ráitis réamhaisnéise arna thabhairt faoi fho-alt (4).
(8) San alt seo, is é a bheidh sa tréimhse lena mbaineann ráiteas réamhaisnéise seacht mbliana féilire ar an dáta agus tar éis an dáta a n-ullmhóidh an Bord an ráiteas.
CUID VI
Oibleagáidí Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Socruithe Idirthréimhseacha
Oibleagáidí seirbhíse poiblí.
39.—(1) Déanfaidh an tAire, le hordú, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an Aire Comhshaoil agus Rialtais Áitiúil, a ordú don Choimisiún oibleagáidí seirbhíse poiblí a fhorchur ar an mBord agus ar shealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe, nó sealbhóirí ceada faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht, agus féadfaidh oibleagáidí a bheith san áireamh iontu i ndáil leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) soláthar a áirithiú,
(b) rialtacht, cáilíocht agus praghas soláthairtí,
(c) caomhnú comhshaoil, agus
(d) foinsí dúchasacha fuinnimh a úsáid.
(2) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1) féadfar, le hordú arna dhéanamh ag an Aire faoin alt seo, a cheangal ar an gCoimisiún ceanglas a fhorchur ar an mBord cibé socruithe is gá a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go mbeidh, in aon bhliain féilire, cainníocht shonrach leictreachais ar fáil don Bhord—
(a) ó stáisiúin ghiniúna a n-úsáidtear móin arna saothrú laistigh den Stát mar fhoinse breosla fuinnimh phríomhúil iontu, ar choinníoll nach mó méid na móna a úsáidfear in aon bhliain féilire chun an chainníocht sin leictreachais a ghiniúint ná 15 faoin gcéad den fhuinneamh príomhúil iomlán is gá chun an leictreachas a thomhlaítear sa Stát an bhliain sin a tháirgeadh, agus
(b) ó stáisiúin ghiniúna a roghnófar de thoradh próisis iomaíochta a bhunóidh an tAire, an Coimisiún nó Coimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach, de réir mar a bheidh, agus a n-úsáidtear cibé foinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh a shonrófar san ordú mar fhoinse fuinnimh phríomhúil iontu, nó a oibríonn mar ghléasraí teasa is cumhachta in éineacht.
(3) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1), féadfar le hordú a dhéanfar faoin alt seo foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) oibleagáid seirbhíse poiblí a fhorchur ar an mBord i leith leictreachais a thairgtear trí bhreosla dúchasach nó foinsí in-athnuaite, inmharthana nó malartacha fuinnimh a úsáid mar fhoinse phríomhúil dóibh nó a oibríonn mar ghléasraí teasa is cumhachta in éineacht de thoradh próisis iomaíochta arna bhunú ag an Aire nó ag Coimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach roimh an achtachán seo, agus
(b) bearta atá ceaptha chun úsáid éifeachtach éifeachtúil leictreachais a spreagadh agus chun an t-éileamh ar leictreachas a laghdú.
(4) Cuirfidh an tAire cóip d'ordú arna dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (1) chuig Coimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach tráth nach déanaí ná 28 lá tar éis an t-ordú a dhéanamh.
(5) Faoi réir fho-alt (6), déanfar, le hordú faoin alt seo, foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na nithe seo a leanas—
(a) gnóthú a dhéanamh, ar mhodh tobhaigh ar chustaiméirí deiridh i leith leictreachais a sholáthraítear do na custaiméirí sin, ar na costais bhreise, lena n-áirítear ráta réasúnach toraidh ar an gcaipiteal arb ionannas dó na costais sin, más cuí, a thabhóidh an Bord nó sealbhóirí ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú ag comhlíonadh ordaithe faoi fho-alt (1), lena n-áirítear costais a thabhófar tar éis ordú den sórt sin a athrú nó a chúlghairm,
(b) an Bord nó sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú do bhailiú íocaíochtaí ina leith sin,
(c) íocaíochtaí a dhéanamh leis an mBord agus le sealbhóirí ar cheadúnais nó ar údaruithe, de réir mar is cuí, as na híocaíochtaí sin a bhaileofar amhlaidh.
(6) Maidir le hordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo, lena ndéantar foráil, de réir fho-alt (5), maidir le costais bhreise dá dtagraítear san fho-alt sin a ghnóthú, déanfar foráil leis go ngnóthófar na costais sin i leith tréimhse sonraithe blianta agus gurb é an méid a íocfar leis an mBord nó le sealbhóir ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú i leith gach bliana sa tréimhse sin ná méid na gcostas breise a dheimhneoidh an Coimisiún a bheith tabhaithe ag an mBord nó ag an sealbhóir sin ar cheadúnas nó ar údarú de réir an ordaithe.
(7) Féadfar le hordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo—
(a) ceanglais (cibé acu maidir le taifid nó faisnéis eile a thabhairt nó saoráidí a thabhairt chun méadair a scrúdú agus a thástáil nó ar shlí eile) a fhorchur ar an mBord agus ar shealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe,
(b) foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na tráthanna a ndéanfar íocaíochtaí (cibé acu íocaíochtaí ar mhodh tobhaigh nó íocaíochtaí leis an mBord agus le sealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe), agus
(c) a cheangal go ndéanfar méid aon ró-íocaíochta nó gearríocaíochta a dhéanfaidh aon duine nó a dhéanfar le haon duine a fhritháireamh i gcoinne aon dliteanais nó teidil iardain de chuid an duine sin nó a chur leis an gcéanna.
(8) Feidhmeoidh an tAire na cumhachtaí a thugtar leis an alt seo ar shlí a chinnteoidh gur leor na suimeanna a réadófar leis an tobhach nó ar shlí eile (tar éis caiteachais riaracháin sealbhóirí ar cheadúnais chun leictreachas a sholáthar faoi alt 14, nó caiteachais riaracháin an Bhoird a thabhaítear ag bailiú an tobhaigh, a íoc) chun an íocaíocht a cheanglófar a dhéanamh leis an ordú a íoc leis an mBord agus le sealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe.
(9) Féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo, lena n-áirítear ordú arna dhéanamh faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú nó a chúlghairm ach ní dochar an leasú nó an chúlghairm sin d'oibriú leanúnach an ordaithe i leith costas breise den chineál dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (5) agus a ndeimhneoidh an Coimisiún, i leith gach bliana, nó i leith cuid di, den chuid neamhchaite den tréimhse shonraithe blianta, gur tabhaíodh go réasúnach iad d'ainneoin an leasaithe nó na cúlghairme.
(10) Déanfaidh an tAire, mí amháin sula ndéanfar ordú a bheartaítear a dhéanamh faoin alt seo, dréacht den ordú a thabhairt don duine nó do na daoine ar a bhfuil an oibleagáid le forchur.
(11) Chun críocha orduithe a dhéanfar faoin alt seo, ciallaíonn “oibleagáid seirbhíse poiblí” oibleagáid a chuirfear ar ghnóthais leictreachais agus ina gcuirfear tosca ginearálta sóisialacha, eacnamaíochta agus comhshaoil i gcuntas.
Socruithe idirthréimhseacha.
40.—(1) Más rud é gur deimhin leis an Aire nach féidir leis an mBord, de dhroim Treoir Uimh. 96/92/CE an 19 Nollaig, 1996, ó Pharlaimint na hEorpa agus ón gComhairle a chur i ngníomh, costais shonraithe nó ioncam sonraithe a bhaineann le stáisiún giniúna a foirgníodh nó a bhí á fhoirgniú nó á athfhoirgniú roimh an 19ú lá d'Fheabhra, 1997, a ghnóthú, déanfaidh sé nó sí foráil, le hordú, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an gCoimisiún agus le Coimisiún na gComhphobal Eorpach, go n-íocfar suim bhliantúil leis an mBord agus go ndéanfar na méideanna a íocfar amhlaidh leis an mBord a ghnóthú ó chustaiméirí deiridh.
(2) Déanfar an tsuim dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1) a ríomh de réir an ordaithe i leith na méideanna sonraithe bliantúla costas nó ioncaim neamhghnóthaithe a bheidh ann i ngach bliain aonair agus ní chuirfear i bhfeidhm é ach amháin i leith tréimhse sonraithe blianta.
(3) D'ainneoin ghinearáltacht fho-alt (1), féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis an nithe seo a leanas—
(a) tobhach ar chustaiméirí deiridh i leith leictreachais a sholáthrófar do na custaiméirí sin,
(b) an Bord agus sealbhóirí ceadúnas nó údaruithe, nó sealbhóirí ceada faoi alt 37 den Phríomh-Acht, do bhailiú íocaíochtaí ina leith sin,
(c) íocaíochtaí a dhéanamh leis an mBord, as na híocaíochtaí sin a bhaileofar amhlaidh,
(d) coinníoll go ndéanfar aon mhéid a íocfar leis an mBord faoin ordú a úsáid chun críocha a shonrófar san ordú agus go mbeidh an chumhacht ag an gCoimisiún a fháil amach an bhfuil an coinníoll sin á chomhlíonadh,
(e) coinníollacha, ina n-íocfaí tobhach leis an mBord,
(f) méid, nó cuid de mhéid, arna íoc leis an mBord faoin ordú, a ghnóthú uaidh i gcás nár úsáideadh an méid nó an chuid de réir an ordaithe, agus
(g) an Coimisiún do dheimhniú, i leith gach bliana sa tréimhse shonraithe blianta, go ndearnadh na coinníollacha a shonrófar san ordú a chomhlíonadh sa bhliain sin.
(4) Féadfar le hordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo—
(a) ceanglais (cibé acu maidir le taifid nó faisnéis eile a thabhairt nó saoráidí a thabhairt chun méadair a scrúdú agus a thástáil nó ar shlí eile) a fhorchur ar an mBord,
(b) foráil a dhéanamh maidir leis na tráthanna a ndéanfar íocaíochtaí (cibé acu íocaíochtaí ar mhodh tobhaigh nó íocaíochtaí leis an mBord),
(c) a cheangal go ndéanfar méid aon ró-íocaíochta nó gearríocaíochta a dhéanfaidh aon duine nó a dhéanfar le haon duine a fhritháireamh i gcoinne aon dliteanais nó teidil iardain de chuid an duine sin nó a chur leis an gcéanna, agus
(d) foráil a dhéanamh maidir le dáta foirceanta an tsocraithe dá bhforáiltear san ordú.
(5) Feidhmeoidh an tAire na cumhachtaí a thugtar leis an alt seo ar shlí a chinnteoidh gur leor na suimeanna a réadófar leis an tobhach (tar éis caiteachais riaracháin sealbhóirí ar cheadúnais chun leictreachas a sholáthar faoi alt 14, nó caiteachais riaracháin an Bhoird a thabhaítear ag bailiú an tobhaigh, a íoc) chun an íocaíocht a cheanglófar a dhéanamh leis an ordú a íoc leis an mBord.
(6) Faoi réir fho-alt (7), féadfaidh an tAire, le hordú, ordú arna dhéanamh faoin alt seo, lena n-áirítear ordú arna dhéanamh faoin bhfo-alt seo, a leasú nó a chúlghairm.
(7) Ní athrófar an tsuim a ríomhfar de réir fho-alt (2).
(8) Déanfaidh an tAire dréacht den ordú a bheartaítear a dhéanamh faoi fho-alt (6) a thabhairt don Bhord mí sula ndéanfar an t-ordú.
CUID VII
Aisghairm Iarmhartach AGUS Leasuithe Iarmhartacha
Aisghairm.
41.—Aisghairtear leis seo ailt 36 agus 37 den Phríomh-Acht.
Leasú ar alt 35 den Phríomh-Acht.
42.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 35 den Phríomh-Acht i bhfo-alt (1) trí “nó le ceadúnas a deonaíodh faoi alt 14 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999,” a chur isteach i ndiaidh “do deonadh fén Acht so” agus tá an fo-alt, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an alt seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(1) I gceann sé mí o am rithte an Achta so no i gceann pé tréimhse breise a shocróidh an Bord d'aon líomatáiste áirithe, agus as san amach, ní dhéanfidh éinne (ach an Bord) leictreachas do dhíol ná leictreachas do sholáthar chun a dhíolta maran gnóthaire údaruithe é no duine dá mbeidh sé údaruithe le cead do deonadh fén Acht so nó le ceadúnas a deonaíodh faoi alt 14 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, leictreachas do sholáthar. |
Leasú ar alt 45 den Phríomh-Acht.
43.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 45 den Phríomh-Acht i mír (a) d'fho-alt (5) trí “nó sealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh” a chur isteach i ndiaidh “an Bord” agus tá an mhír, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an alt seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(5) Féadfar na nithe seo a leanas d'ionchorparú in ordú speisialta a déanfar fén alt so— (a) an Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, agus é atharuithe i dtreo go bhfolóidh an focal “public authority” an Bord nó sealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh. |
Leasú ar alt 77 den Phríomh-Acht.
44.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 77 den Phríomh-Acht tríd an alt seo a leanas a chur in ionad an ailt sin:
“Íocfaidh údaráis áitiúla na caiteachais a bhainfidh le hathruithe áirithe. | 77.—Cibé uair a dhéanfaidh údarás áitiúil, mar gheall ar athrú ar bhóthar nó ar dhroichead nó chun na críche sin— (a) a cheangal ar ghnóthaire údaraithe nó ar shealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó ar shealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, ionad nó doimhneacht sreang nó príomhlíonra leictreachais faoi thalamh nó oibreacha leictreachais eile faoi thalamh, nó ionad cuaillí nó déanmhas eile lena n-iompraítear sreanga nó príomhlíonra leictreachais nó oibreacha eile leictreachais os cionn talún, a athrú, nó (b) a cheangal ar an mBord ionad nó doimhneacht aon oibreacha leictreachais den sórt sin faoi thalamh, nó ionad aon oibreacha leictreachais den sórt sin os cionn talún, mar a dúradh, ar oibreacha de chuid an Bhoird nó atá faoi stiúradh an Bhoird iad, a athrú, déanfaidh an t-údarás áitiúil sin, ar sin a éileamh air, na caiteachais a thabhóidh an gnóthaire údaraithe sin nó an sealbhóir sin ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó an sealbhóir sin ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó an Bord, de réir mar a bheidh, le linn an ceanglas sin a chomhlíonadh, a íoc leis an ngnóthaire údaraithe sin nó leis an sealbhóir sin ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó leis an sealbhóir sin ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó leis an mBord, de réir mar is gá sa chás, mar chuid de na caiteachais a bhaineann leis an mbóthar nó leis an droichead sin a chothabháil agus is eadránaí arna cheapadh ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais a bhunófar faoi alt 8 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, a shocróidh méid na gcaiteachas sin a bheidh le híoc amhlaidh leis an ngnóthaire údaraithe sin nó leis an sealbhóir sin ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó leis an sealbhóir sin ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó leis an mBord.”. |
Leasú ar alt 98 den Phríomh-Acht.
45.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 98 den Phríomh-Acht tríd an alt seo a leanas a chur in ionad an ailt sin:
“Féadfaidh an Bord, gnóthaire údaraithe nó sealbhóir ar údarú crainn a scoitheadh. | 98.—(1) Féadfaidh an Bord, gnóthaire údaraithe nó sealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh, ach aire chuí agus cúram cuí a ghlacadh gan aon damáiste neamhriachtanach a dhéanamh, aon chrann, tor nó fál a scoitheadh nó a ghearradh ar crann, tor nó fál é a bheidh sa tslí, nó ag cur isteach, ar aon sreanga leictreachais de chuid an Bhoird nó an ghnóthaire údaraithe sin nó an tsealbhóra sin ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó an tsealbhóra sin ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh, nó ar aon sreanga leictreachais den tsórt sin a chur suas nó a chur síos nó ar an tsuirbhéireacht ar bhealach beartaithe aon línte tarchurtha nó dailte de chuid an Bhoird nó an ghnóthaire údaraithe sin nó ar aon sreang leictreachais de chuid sealbhóra ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó sealbhóra ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999. (2) Sula ndéanfaidh sé aon chrann, tor nó fál a scoitheadh nó a ghearradh faoin alt seo déanfaidh an Bord nó gnóthaire údaraithe nó sealbhóir ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh, fógra seacht lá a thabhairt d'áititheoir na talún nó, i gcás bóthair nó sráide, don údarás áitiúil ar a mbeidh sé de chúram an bóthar nó an tsráid sin a chothabháil ar a bhfuil an crann, an tor nó an fál sin ina sheasamh, á rá go bhfuil sé ar intinn aige an céanna a scoitheadh nó a ghearradh agus féadfaidh an t-áititheoir sin nó an t-údarás áitiúil sin, más mian leis amhlaidh agus má chuireann sé an méid sin in iúl don Bhord nó don ghnóthaire údaraithe sin nó don sealbhóir sin ar údarú, an scoitheadh nó an gearradh sin a dhéanamh é féin laistigh de sheacht lá. (3) Nuair a dhéanfaidh áititheoir talún aon chrann, tor nó fál a ghearradh nó a scoitheadh faoin alt seo, déanfaidh an Bord nó an gnóthaire údaraithe sin nó an sealbhóir sin ar údarú faoi alt 16 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, nó an sealbhóir sin ar chead dír-líne sin faoi alt 37 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, de réir mar a bheidh, an caiteachas a thabhóidh an t-áititheoir sin á dhéanamh sin a íoc leis ar éileamh uaidh agus, cheal comhaontaithe, is eadránaí arna cheapadh ag an gCoimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais a bhunófar faoi alt 8 den Acht um Rialáil Leictreachais, 1999, a shocróidh méid na gcaiteachas sin.”. |
Leasú ar an Acht um Shaoráil Faisnéise, 1997.
46.—Leasaítear leis an Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Shaoráil Faisnéise, 1997, tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach i mír 1(2)—
“an Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais,”.
CUID VIII
Ilghnéitheach
Fáil éigeantach talún ag an gCoimisiún, etc.
47.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2), beidh an chumhacht chun ordú speisialta a dhéanamh, ar cumhacht í a thugtar don Bhord le halt 45(1) den Phríomh-Acht, infheidhmithe ag an gCoimisiún agus ní ag an mBord ar iarratas ón mBord nó ó shealbhóir ar údarú nó ó dhuine a bhfuil údarú iarrtha aige nó aici agus déanfar aon tagairtí san Acht sin d'orduithe speisialta a dhéanamh a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí don Choimisiún do dhéanamh orduithe den sórt sin.
(2) Oibreoidh ordú speisialta arna dhéanamh ag an gCoimisiún chun na feidhmeanna a thabharfaí don Bhord le hordú den sórt sin a thabhairt d'iarratasóir ar údarú faoi alt 16.
(3) Más rud é go ndéanfar iarratas chun an Choimisiúin ar ordú speisialta faoin alt seo, beidh feidhm ag alt 45(2) go (6) den Phríomh-Acht maidir leis an gCoimisiún mar atá feidhm aige maidir leis an mBord.
Forléiriú ar ailt 51 agus 52(1) den Phríomh-Acht.
48.—Féadfaidh sealbhóir ar údarú nó sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37, le toiliú an Choimisiúin, an chumhacht chun línte leictreachais a chur síos, ar cumhacht í a thugtar don Bhord le halt 51 agus le halt 52(1) den Phríomh-Acht, a fheidhmiú freisin agus beidh feidhm ag na hailt sin 51 agus 52(1) maidir le sealbhóir ar údarú nó le sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoin alt 37 sin sa tslí chéanna a bhfuil feidhm acu maidir leis an mBord.
Forléiriú ar alt 53 den Phríomh-Acht.
49.—Féadfaidh sealbhóir ar údarú nó sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne, le toiliú an Choimisiúin, chun críocha an údaraithe sin, na cumhachtaí a thugtar don Bhord le fo-ailt (1) go (5) agus (9) d'alt 53 den Phríomh-Acht a fheidhmiú agus déanfar tagairtí don Bhord sna fo-ailt sin a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí a fholaíonn tagairtí do shealbhóir ar údarú.
Forléiriú ar alt 54 den Phríomh-Acht.
50.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2), folóidh tagairtí in alt 54 den Phríomh-Acht do ghnóthaire údaraithe tagairtí do shealbhóir ar údarú nó do shealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37.
(2) I gcás go ndéanfaidh an Bord rialacháin faoin bPríomh-Acht, a bheidh déanta roimh thosach feidhme an ailt seo, lena rialáiltear línte leictreachais a chur trasna nó feadh aon iarnróid, talún, uiscebhealaigh intíre, duga nó cuain, nó os cionn an chéanna nó faoin gcéanna, beidh feidhm ag na rialacháin sin maidir le sealbhóir ar údarú nó maidir le sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37.
(3) Ní leasóidh an Bord rialacháin lena mbaineann fo-alt (2) gan toiliú an Choimisiúin.
(4) Féadfaidh an Coimisiún modhnuithe a fhorordú ar rialacháin dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (2) chun go bhféadfaidh feidhm a bheith acu maidir le sealbhóir ar údarú nó le sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37.
Forléiriú ar alt 91 den Phríomh-Acht.
51.—Beidh feidhm ag alt 91 den Phríomh-Acht maidir le sealbhóir ar údarú nó le sealbhóir ar chead dír-líne faoi alt 37 sa tslí chéanna a bhfuil feidhm aige maidir le gnóthaire údaraithe agus déanfar tagairtí don Bhord a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí don Choimisiún chun na críche sin.
Feidhm rialachán áirithe.
52.—Beidh éifeacht le rialacháin a bheidh déanta ag an mBord, roimh thosach feidhme an ailt seo, faoi alt 2 den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949, maidir le daoine ar deonaíodh ceadúnais nó údaruithe dóibh faoin Acht seo nó maidir le custaiméirí cáilithe.
Leasú ar alt 2(2) den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949.
53.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 2 den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949, tríd an bhfo-alt seo a leanas a chur in ionad fho-alt (2):
“(2) I gcás go mbeartaíonn an Bord rialacháin a dhéanamh faoin alt seo chun críocha nach mbaineann go haonarach le nós imeachta, riaradh nó stiúradh inmheánach an Bhoird, cuirfidh sé na rialacháin faoi bhráid an Choimisiúin chun a gceadaithe agus féadfaidh an Coimisiún—
(a) na rialacháin a cheadú fara leasuithe nó gan leasuithe, nó
(b) diúltú na rialacháin a cheadú go dtí go ndéanfaidh an Bord leasuithe a shonróidh an Coimisiún.”.
Aisghairm ar alt 2(3), (4) agus (6) den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949.
54.—Aisghairtear leis seo alt 2(3), (4) agus (6) den Acht Leictreachais (Soláthar) (Leasú), 1949.
AN SCEIDEAL
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais
1. Comhalta amháin ar a laghad ach líon nach mó mó ná triúr comhalta a bheidh ar an gCoimisiún, agus is é nó is í an tAire a cheapfaidh gach duine acu ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha ceapacháin, lena n-áirítear luach saothair, a shocróidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, chun bheith i seilbh oifige i gcáil lánaimseartha ar feadh tréimhse nach lú ná trí bliana agus nach mó ná seacht mbliana.
2. Más rud é go mbeidh níos mó ná comhalta amháin ar an gCoimisiún, ceapfaidh an tAire duine díobh chun bheith ina chathaoirleach nó ina cathaoirleach ar an gCoimisiún ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha ceapacháin, lena n-áirítear luach saothair, a shocróidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, chun bheith i seilbh oifige i gcáil lánaimseartha ar feadh tréimhse nach lú ná trí bliana agus nach mó ná cúig bliana.
3. Beidh comhalta den Choimisiún, lena n-áirítear an cathaoirleach, a rachaidh a théarma oifige nó a téarma oifige in éag trí imeacht aimsire in-athcheaptha chun fónamh ar feadh dara téarma, ach sin faoi réir teorann gan fónamh ar feadh níos mó ná deich mbliana ar an gCoimisiún.
4. Ní bheidh comhalta den Choimisiún i dteideal fónamh ar feadh níos mó ná dhá théarma oifige.
5. Maidir le comhalta den Choimisiún—
(a) féadfaidh sé nó sí aon tráth éirí as a oifig nó a hoifig trí litir a bheidh dírithe chuig an Aire agus beidh éifeacht leis an éirí as oifig ón dáta a bhfaighfear an litir, agus
(b) féadfaidh an tAire é nó í a chur as oifig más rud é, i dtuairim an Aire, go mbeidh an comhalta tar éis éirí éagumasach, de dheasca easláinte, ar a dhualgais nó a dualgais a chomhlíonadh go héifeachtach nó mar gheall ar mhí-iompar sonraithe agus cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara go ndéanfar ráiteas maidir leis na cúiseanna a bhí leis an gcur as oifig sin a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas.
6. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún gníomhú d'ainneoin folúntais nó folúntas ina chomhaltas.
7. Ní shealbhóidh comhalta den Choimisiún aon oifig nó fostaíocht eile a bhfuil sochair iníoctha maidir léi.
8. Ní dhéanfaidh comhalta den Choimisiún, ar feadh tréimhse dhá mhí dhéag tar éis dó nó di éirí as oifig an Choimisiúin, nó a bheith curtha as an oifig sin nó scor den oifig sin, aon oifig nó fostaíocht a shealbhú, ná gníomhú mar shainchomhairleoir, i gcás gur dóigh dó nó di faisnéis a bheidh faighte aige nó aici i bhfeidhmiú fheidhmeanna an Choimisiúin a úsáid nó a nochtadh.
9. Faoi réir an Achta seo, beidh an Coimisiún neamhspleách i gcomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna.
10. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún, faoi réir thoiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais, cibé daoine agus cibé líon daoine a cheapadh chun bheith ina gcomhaltaí dá fhoireann a mheasfaidh sé is gá chun cuidiú leis i gcomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna agus sin ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha, lena n-áirítear téarmaí agus coinníollacha maidir le luach saothair agus grádú, a chomhaontófar.
11. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún cibé feidhm dá chuid is cuí leis a chomhlíonadh trí aon chomhalta dá fhoireann nó ag aon chomhalta dá fhoireann.
12. Déanfaidh an Coimisiún comhalta dá fhoireann a ainmniú mar leaschomhalta den Choimisiún agus déanfaidh sé nó sí, le húdarás ón gCoimisiún, feidhmeanna uile an Choimisiúin a ghabháil chuige féin nó chuici féin agus a chur i gcrích mura mbeidh na comhaltaí i láthair nó nuair a bheidh comhaltas an Choimisiúin folamh.
13. Féadfaidh an tAire cibé foireann, áitreabh, trealamh, seirbhísí agus acmhainní eile a chinnfidh an tAire ó am go ham i gcomhairle leis an Aire Airgeadais a chur ar fáil don Choimisiún, ar an Coimisiún dá iarraidh.
14. Comhaltaí d'fhoireann an Aire a dtugtar a seirbhísí don Choimisiún trí iasacht, fanfaidh siad ina státseirbhísigh don Aire agus ní mó ná dhá bhliain in aon chás áirithe an tréimhse a mbeidh duine sannta ar iasacht chuig an gCoimisiún.
15. Íocfaidh an Coimisiún leis an Aire cibé suim nó suimeanna a sonróidh an tAire gurb iad na caiteachais iad a thabhaigh an tAire le linn oifig an Choimisiúin a bhunú agus le linn an fhoireann, an t-áitreabh, an trealamh, na seirbhísí agus na hacmhainní eile sin a chur ar fáil faoi mhír 13.
16. D'fhonn na caiteachais a íoc a thabhaíonn an Coimisiún go cuí le linn a fheidhmeanna a chomhall faoin Acht seo, féadfaidh an Coimisiún ordú (dá ngairtear “ordú tobhaigh” san Acht seo) a dhéanamh lena bhforchuirfear tobhach, a bheidh le híoc gach bliain, ar cibé aicmí gnóthas leictreachais a shonróidh an Coimisiún san ordú.
17. Aon uair a dhéanfar ordú tobhaigh faoi mhír 16 déanfaidh gnóthas leictreachais a bhaineann le haicme gnóthais leictreachais a shonrófar san ordú cibé méid is cuí ag féachaint do théarmaí an ordaithe tobhaigh a íoc leis an gCoimisiún.
18. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún, le hordú, ordú tobhaigh arna dhéanamh faoi mhír 16 a leasú nó a chúlghairm.
19. Aon leasú ar ordú tobhaigh a dhéanfar faoi mhír 16 agus lena ndéanfar socrú le haghaidh méadú ar an tobhach, ní ghlacfaidh sé éifeacht ach amháin sa bhliain tar éis na bliana ina ndéantar an leasú.
20. Déanfaidh an coimisiún aon bharrachas d'ioncam an Choimisiúin ar a chaiteachas in aon bhliain a úsáid chun íoc as a chaiteachais.
21. Féadfaidh an tAire, ó am go ham, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, cibé suimeanna a chinnfidh an tAire a airleacan don Choimisiún, as airgead a sholáthróidh an tOireachtas, chun críocha caiteachais ag an gCoimisiún i gcomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna.
22. Ní dhéanfar na suimeanna a bheidh le hairleacan faoi mhír 21 a chaitheamh ach amháin chun críocha na bhfeidhmeanna a thugtar don Choimisiún leis an Acht seo agus chun na feidhmeanna sin a fheidhmiú.
23. Íocfaidh an Coimisiún leis an Aire, ar gach suim a airleacfar chun an Choimisiúin faoin Acht seo, ús ó dháta an tsuim sin a airleacan go dtí go mbeidh an tsuim aisíoctha de réir cibé ráta agus ar cibé modh a cheapfaidh an tAire tráth an airleacain agus de réir cibé ráta a chinnfear ó am go ham agus ní mó an ráta úis sin tráth ar bith ná an ráta a bheidh socraithe le hordú faoi alt 20 d'Acht na gCúirteanna, 1981.
24. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún, d'fhonn a fheidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh, airgead a fháil ar iasacht, ach ní dhéanfaidh sé é sin gan toiliú an Aire agus an Aire Airgeadais.
25. Déanfaidh an Coimisiún—
(a) gach cuntas is cuí agus is gnách ar an airgead go léir a gheobhaidh sé nó a chaithfidh sé, lena n-áirítear cuntas sochair agus dochair agus clár comhardaithe, a choimeád, i cibé foirm a cheadóidh an tAire, le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais,
(b) cuntais a choimeádfar faoi fhomhír (a) i leith gach bliana a chur faoi bhráid an Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste lena n-iniúchadh agus, nuair a bheidh na cuntais sin iniúchta amhlaidh, déanfar iad, maille le tuarascáil an Ard-Reachtaire Cuntas agus Ciste orthu, a thíolacadh don Aire laistigh de shé mhí ó dheireadh na bliana airgeadais, agus cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara cóipeanna de na cuntais agus den tuarascáil a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas, agus
(c) tuarascáil a thabhairt don Aire, laistigh den chéad trí mhí de gach bliain, i ndáil le comhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna sa bhliain roimhe sin agus lena chlár oibre beartaithe don bhliain dár gcionn agus cuirfidh an tAire faoi deara cóipeanna den tuarascáil a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is indéanta.
26. Déanfaidh an Coimisiún, ó am go ham, agus aon uair a iarrfar air amhlaidh, cuntas ar chomhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna a thabhairt do Chomhchoiste den Oireachtas agus beidh aird ag an gCoimisiún ar aon mholtaí ón gComhchoiste sin is iomchuí maidir lena fheidhmeanna.
27. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún ó am go ham cibé sainchomhairleoirí nó comhairleoirí a fhostú a mheasfaidh sé is gá chun cuidiú leis le linn a fheidhmeanna a chomhall agus is cuid de chaiteachais an Choimisiúin aon táillí a bheidh dlite do shainchomhairleoir nó do chomhairleoir a fhostófar faoin mír seo.
28. Ní bheidh aon ábhar caingne ná ábhar imeachtaí eile ann, ná ní bheidh an céanna inchoimeádta ar aghaidh (ach amháin i gcás faillí nó mainneachtana de chineál toiliúil), in aghaidh aon chomhalta den Choimisiún a éiríonn as mainneachtain aon cheann de na feidhmeanna a thugtar leis an Acht seo don Choimisiún a chomhlíonadh nó déanamh dá réir.
29. I gcás gur deimhin leis an gCoimisiún go bhfuil aon chomhalta d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin nó aon duine údaraithe a bheidh ceaptha ag an gCoimisiún tar éis a dhualgais nó a dualgais a chomhlíonadh ar shlí bona fide, slánóidh an Coimisiún an comhalta foirne nó an duine údaraithe in aghaidh gach caingne nó éilimh, cibé slí a n-éireoidh, i leith chomhall a dhualgas aige nó a dualgas aici.
30. (a) Féadfaidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, scéim nó scéimeanna a dhéanamh chun sochair aoisliúntais a dheonú do chomhalta den Choimisiún, nó i leith comhalta den Choimisiún, a scoireann de bheith i seilbh oifige nó chun ranníocaí a dhéanamh le scéim pinsean a bheidh ceadaithe ag an Aire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais agus a mbeidh comhalta den Choimisiún páirteach inti.
(b) Féadfaidh an tAire, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, scéim a dhéanamh lena leasófar nó lena gcúlghairfear scéim faoin mír seo, lena n-áirítear scéim faoin bhfomhír seo.
(c) Má éiríonn aon díospóid maidir le héileamh comhalta den Choimisiún ar aon phinsean, aisce nó liúntas eile, nó maidir le méid aon phinsin, aisce nó liúntais eile, is iníoctha de bhun scéime faoin mír seo, cuirfear an díospóid sin faoi bhráid an Aire agus déanfaidh an tAire í a tharchur chuig an Aire Airgeadais le cinneadh a dhéanamh uirthi.
(d) Déanfaidh an tAire scéim faoin mír seo a chur i gcrích de réir théarmaí an chéanna.
(e) Ní dheonóidh an tAire aon phinsean, aisce nó liúntas eile d'aon duine ná i leith aon duine dá dtagraítear i bhfomhír (a) agus a scoirfidh de bheith i seilbh oifige ar shlí seachas de réir scéime faoin mír seo nó ar cibé slí eile a cheadóidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
31. Féadfaidh an Coimisiún scéim nó scéimeanna a ullmhú agus a chur faoi bhráid an Aire, nó cibé socruithe eile a dhéanamh le ceadú an Aire arna thabhairt le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, chun sochair aoisliúntais a dheonú do cibé comhaltaí nó i leith cibé comhaltaí d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin, lena n-áirítear comhalta arna cheapadh nó arna ceapadh ina leaschomhalta den Chomisiún de réir mhír 12, is cuí leis nó léi.
32. Socrófar le gach scéim arna déanamh faoi mhír 30 nó 31 tráth agus coinníollacha scoir gach duine a mbeidh sochair aoisliúntais iníoctha leis nó léi, nó ina leith, faoin scéim, agus féadfar tráthanna agus coinníollacha éagsúla a shocrú i leith aicmí éagsúla daoine.
33. Féadfar, le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais, gach scéim arna déanamh faoi mhír 31 a leasú nó a chúlghairm le scéim ina dhiaidh sin a ullmhófar, a chuirfear faoi bhráid an Aire agus a cheadófar faoi mhír 31.
34. Déanfaidh an Coimisiún scéim a dhéanfar faoi mhír 31, agus a chuirfidh an Coimisiún faoi bhráid an Aire, a chur i gcrích de réir théarmaí na scéime, má cheadaíonn an tAire í le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
35. Ní dheonóidh an Coimisiún aon sochair aoisliúntais, ná ní dhéanfaidh an Coimisiún socruithe ar bith eile chun sochar den sórt sin a chur ar fáil do chomhalta d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin ná ina leith, ar shlí seachas de réir scéime faoi mhír 31 nó ar cibé slí eile a cheadóidh an tAire le toiliú an Aire Airgeadais.
36. Má éiríonn aon díospóid maidir le héileamh aon duine ar aon sochar aoisliúntais, nó maidir le méid aon sochair aoisliúntais, is iníoctha de bhun scéime nó scéimeanna faoi mhír 30 nó 31, cuirfear an díospóid sin faoi bhráid an Aire agus déanfaidh an tAire í a tharchur chuig an Aire Airgeadais le cinneadh a dhéanamh uirthi.
37. A luaithe is féidir bunóidh an Coimisiún ciste a riarfaidh iontaobhaithe arna gceapadh ag an gCoimisiún agus as a n-íocfar sochair aoisliúntais a bheidh iníoctha, faoi scéim faoi mhir 31, i leith comhalta d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin a scoirfidh de bheith i seilbh oifige.
38. Maidir le scéim faoi mhír 30 nó 31 déanfaidh an tAire, i gcás scéime faoi mhír 30, nó déanfaidh an Coimisiún, i gcás scéime faoi mhír 31, í a leagan faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a déanta agus má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin, laistigh den 21 lá a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an scéim a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú na scéime, beidh an scéim ar neamhní dá réir sin ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin scéim.
39. Más rud é, i gcás comhalta den Choimisiún—
(a) go n-ainmneofar é nó í mar chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann, nó
(b) go n-ainmneofar é nó í chun seasamh mar iarrthóir lena thoghadh nó lena toghadh mar chomhalta de cheachtar Teach den Oireachtas nó chun Parlaimint na hEorpa, nó
(c) go measfar, de bhun Chuid XIII den Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Pharlaimint na hEorpa, 1997, é nó í a bheith tofa chun Parlaimint na hEorpa chun folúntas a líonadh,
scoirfidh an comhalta, air sin, de bheith ina chomhalta nó ina comhalta den Choimisiún.
40. Más rud é, maidir le duine a bheidh fostaithe ag an gCoimisiún—
(a) go n-ainmneofar é nó í mar chomhalta de Sheanad Éireann, nó
(b) go dtoghfar é nó í mar chomhalta de cheachtar Teach den Oireachtas nó chun Parlaimint na hEorpa, nó
(c) go measfar, de bhun Chuid XIII den Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Pharlaimint na hEorpa, 1997, é nó í a bheith tofa chun Parlaimint na hEorpa chun folúntas a líonadh,
beidh sé nó sí air sin ar iasacht óna fhostaíocht nó óna fostaíocht ag an gCoimisiún agus ní íocfaidh an Coimisiún leis nó léi, ná ní bheidh sé nó sí i dteideal go bhfaighidh sé nó sí ón gCoimisiún, luach saothair ná liúntais i leith na tréimhse dar tosach an tráth a ainmneofar nó a thoghfar é nó í amhlaidh, nó an tráth a mheasfar amhlaidh é nó í a bheith tofa, de réir mar a bheidh, agus dar críoch an tráth a scoirfidh sé nó sí de bheith ina chomhalta nó ina comhalta de cheachtar Teach acu sin nó den Pharlaimint sin.
41. Duine a bheidh de thuras na huaire i dteideal, faoi Bhuan-Orduithe ceachtar Tí den Oireachtas, suí sa Teach sin nó is comhalta de Pharlaimint na hEorpa, beidh sé nó sí, fad a bheidh sé nó sí i dteideal amhlaidh nó ina chomhalta nó ina comhalta den sórt sin, dícháilithe chun bheith ina chomhalta nó ina comhalta den Choimisiún nó d'fhoireann an Choimisiúin.
42. Gan dochar do ghinearáltacht mhír 40, forléireofar an mhír sin mar mhír a thoirmisceann, i measc nithe eile, tréimhse a luaitear sa mhír sin a áireamh mar sheirbhís leis an gCoimisiún chun críocha aon sochar aoisliúntais.
43. Sa Sceideal seo—
ciallaíonn “caiteachais” eisíocaíochtaí an Choimisiúin, lena n-áireofar luach saothair an Choimisiúin agus fhoireann an Choimisiúin, aon chaiteachas a thabhóidh an Coimisiún nó foireann an Choimisiúin de dhroim feidhmeanna an Choimisiúin a chur i gcrích, íocaíochtaí leis an Aire faoin Acht seo agus aisíocaíocht aon airleacain nó úis nó aon airleacain arna thabhairt ag an Aire faoin Acht seo;
ciallaíonn “sochair aoisliúntais” pinsin, aiscí agus liúntais eile is iníoctha ar dhuine d'éirí as, do scor nó d'fháil bháis.
Number 23 of 1999
ELECTRICITY REGULATION ACT, 1999
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary and General
Section | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
7. |
Establishment of Commission for Electricity Regulation
8. | |
9. | |
10. | |
11. | |
12. | |
13. |
Licences and Authorisations
Appeal Panels
29. | |
30. | |
31. | Orders for establishment of Appeal Panels and related matters. |
32. |
Access to Transmission and Distribution Systems
33. | |
34. | Terms for connection to and use of transmission or distribution system. |
35. | Charges for connection to and use of transmission or distribution system. |
36. | |
37. | |
38. |
Public Service Obligations and Transitional Arrangements
39. | |
40. |
Consequential Repeals and Amendments
41. | |
42. | |
43. | |
44. | |
45. | |
46. |
Miscellaneous
47. | |
48. | |
49. | |
50. | |
51. | |
52. | |
53. | Amendment of section 2(2) of Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949. |
54. | Repeal of section 2(3), (4) and (6) of Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949. |
The Commission for Electricity Regulation
Acts Referred to | ||
Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919 | 1919, c. 20 | |
Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990 | ||
Courts Act, 1981 | 1981, No. 11 | |
Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927 | 1927, No. 27 | |
Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1927 to 1995 | ||
Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949 | 1949, No. 12 | |
European Parliament Elections Act, 1997 | 1997, No. 2 | |
Freedom of Information Act, 1997 | 1997, No. 13 | |
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 | 14 & 15 Vict., c. 93 | |
Number 23 of 1999
ELECTRICITY REGULATION ACT, 1999
PART I
Preliminary And General
Short title and commencement.
1.—(1 This Act may be cited as the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999.
(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.
Interpretation.
2.—(1) In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—
“authorisation” means an authorisation granted under section 16;
“authorised officer” means a person appointed under section 11 to be an authorised officer;
“Board” means the Electricity Supply Board;
“combined heat and power” means the simultaneous production of utilisable heat and electricity from an integrated thermo-dynamic process where the overall process operating efficiency, based on the gross calorific value of the fuel used and defined as the ratio of energy output usefully employed to the energy input, is greater than 70 per cent. and where the integrated thermo-dynamic process satisfies such technical, operational, economic and environmental criteria as may be specified by the Minister from time to time, following consultation with the Commission;
“Commission” means the Commission for Electricity Regulation;
“direct line”, in relation to electricity, means an electric line which is used or is to be used to carry electricity for the purpose of supply and the construction of which line is permitted under section 37;
“distribution”, in relation to electricity, means the transport of electricity by means of a distribution system, that is to say, a system which consists of electric lines, electric plant, transformers and switchgear and which is used for conveying electricity to final customers;
“distribution code” means a code in respect of all technical aspects relating to connection to and operation of the distribution system prepared by the Board under section 33;
“electric line” means any line which is used solely or among other things for carrying electricity for any purpose and includes—
(a) any support for any such line, that is to say, any structure, pole, or other thing in, on, by or from which any such line may be supported, carried or suspended,
(b) any apparatus connected to any such line for the purpose of carrying electricity or other services, and
(c) any wire, cable, tube, pipe or similar thing (including its casing or coating) which surrounds or supports or is surrounded or supported by, or is installed in close proximity to, or is supported, carried or suspended in association with, any such line;
“electric plant” means any plant, apparatus or appliance used for, or for purposes connected with, the generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity, other than—
(a) an electric line,
(b) a meter used for ascertaining the quantity of electricity supplied to any premises, or
(c) an electrical appliance under the control of a consumer;
“electricity undertaking” means any person engaged in generation, transmission, distribution or supply of electricity, including any holder of a licence or authorisation under this Act, or any person who has been granted a permit under section 37 of the Principal Act;
“establishment day” means the day appointed under section 8;
“final customer” means a person being supplied with electricity at a single premises for consumption on those premises;
“forecast statement” has the meaning assigned to it by section 38;
“functions” includes powers and duties;
“generate”, in relation to electricity, means to produce electricity;
“generating station” means a station for the generation of electricity;
“grid code” means a code in respect of all technical aspects relating to connection to and operation of the transmission system prepared by the Board under section 33;
“licence” means a licence issued under section 14;
“Minister” means the Minister for Public Enterprise;
“prescribe” means to prescribe by regulations made by the Minister or the Commission under this Act and cognate words shall be construed accordingly;
“Principal Act” means the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927;
“record” means any book, document or any other written or printed material in any form including any information stored, maintained or preserved by means of any mechanical or electronic device, whether or not stored, maintained or preserved in a legible form;
“renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy” means energy used in the production of electricity which uses as its primary source one or a combination of more than one of the following—
(a) wind,
(b) hydro,
(c) biomass,
(d) waste, including waste heat,
(e) biofuel,
(f) geothermal,
(g) fuel cells,
(h) tidal,
(i) solar,
(j) wave;
“single premises” means one or more buildings or structures, occupied and used by a person, where each building or structure is adjacent to, or contiguous with, the other building or structure;
“supply”, in relation to electricity, means supply through electric lines to final customers for consumption;
“transmission”, in relation to electricity, means the transport of electricity by means of a transmission system, that is to say, a system which consists, wholly or mainly, of high voltage lines and electric plant and which is used for conveying electricity from a generating station to a substation, from one generating station to another, from one substation to another or to or from any interconnector or to final customers but shall not include any such lines which the Board may, from time to time, with the approval of the Commission, specify as being part of the distribution system but shall include any interconnector owned by the Board.
(2) In this Act—
(a) a reference to a section or Schedule is a reference to a section of or Schedule to this Act unless it is indicated that a reference to some other enactment is intended,
(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended, and
(c) a reference to the performance of functions includes with respect to powers and duties, a reference to the exercise of powers and the carrying out of duties.
(3) A reference to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by or under any subsequent enactment, including this Act.
(4) The Minister may from time to time by order amend the definition of renewable, sustainable or alternative sources of energy by the addition of further renewable, sustainable or alternative sources of energy.
Laying of orders, etc.
3.—Every order, other than orders under section 1(2) or section 27(6), or regulations made by the Minister, in the case of orders or regulations made by the Minister, or by the Commission, in the case of orders or regulations made by the Commission, shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order or regulation is passed by either such House within the next subsequent 21 days on which that House has sat after the order or regulation is laid before it, the order or regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.
Service of notices.
4.—(1) Any notice required to be served or given by or under this Act shall be addressed to the person concerned and served or given in one of the following ways—
(a) by addressing it to the person by name and delivering it to him or her,
(b) by leaving it at the address at which the person ordinarily resides,
(c) by sending it by post in a prepaid registered letter addressed to the person at the address at which he or she ordinarily resides,
(d) if an address for the service of notices has been furnished by the person, by leaving it at, or sending it by prepaid registered post addressed to him or her to, that address, or
(e) where the address at which the person ordinarily resides cannot be ascertained by reasonable inquiry and notice is required to be served on, or given to, him or her in respect of any premises, by delivering it to a person over the age of 16 years resident in or employed on the premises, or by affixing it in a conspicuous position on or near the premises.
(2) Where the name of the person concerned cannot be ascertained by reasonable inquiry, a notice under this Act may be addressed to “the occupier”, “the owner” or “the person in charge”, as the case may be.
(3) For the purposes of this section, a company registered under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990, shall be deemed to be ordinarily resident at its registered office, and every other body corporate and every unincorporated body shall be deemed to be ordinarily resident at its principal office or place of business.
(4) A person shall not at any time during the period of 3 months after a notice is affixed under subsection (1) (e) remove, damage or deface the notice without lawful authority and a person who contravenes this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.
(5) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (4) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500.
Offences by bodies corporate
5.—(1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a body corporate and is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of a person being a director, manager, secretary or other officer of the body corporate, or a person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, that person, as well as the body corporate, shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to be proceeded against and punished as if he or she were guilty of the first-mentioned offence.
(2) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) shall apply in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his or her functions of management as if he or she were a director or manager of the body corporate.
Prosecution of offences.
6.—(1) Summary proceedings for offences under this Act may be brought and prosecuted by the Commission.
(2) Notwithstanding section 10(4) of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851, summary proceedings for an offence under this Act may be instituted within 12 months from the date of the offence.
Making of orders by Minister.
7.—(1) The Minister may prescribe a greater percentage than that specified in the definition of combined heat and power.
(2) The Minister may by order amend an order made under this section including an order made under this subsection.
PART II
Establishment of Commission for Electricity Regulation
Establishment of Commission.
8.—(1) The Minister shall by order appoint a day to be the establishment day for the purposes of this Act.
(2) There shall stand established on the establishment day a body to be known in the Irish language as An Coimisiún um Rialáil Leictreachais or in the English language as the Commission for Electricity Regulation and in this Act referred to as the “Commission” to perform the functions conferred on it by this Act.
(3) The Schedule shall apply to the Commission.
(4) The Commission shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and power to sue and be used in its corporate name and to acquire, hold and dispose of land or an interest in land, and to acquire, hold and dispose of any other property.
(5) The seal of the Commission shall be authenticated by the signature of the chairperson of the Commission, or by the signatures of any other member of the Commission and a member of the staff of the Commission authorised by the Commission to act in that behalf.
(6) Judicial notice shall be taken of the seal of the Commission and every document purporting to be an instrument made by and to be sealed with the seal of the Commission (purporting to be authenticated in accordance with this section) shall be received in evidence and be deemed to be such instrument without proof unless the contrary is shown.
Functions of Commission.
9.—(1) The Commission shall have the following functions, namely—
(a) to publish, pursuant to a policy direction or directions of the Minister, which shall be made publicly available when given to the Commission, proposals for a system of contracts and other arrangements, including appropriate rights and obligations, for trading in electricity,
(b) to engage in a public consultation process on the procedures to be adopted by the Commission to implement the proposals drawn up under paragraph (a),
(c) to advise the Minister on the impact of electricity generation in relation to sustainability, and international agreements on the environment to which the State is or becomes a party,
(d) following the public consultation process referred to in paragraph (b) and taking account of matters raised in the public consultation process, to make regulations, subject to the consent of the Minister, establishing a system of trading in electricity, including the supervision and review of such a system by the Commission, and
(e) to advise the Minister on the development of the electricity industry and on the exercise of the functions of the Minister under this Act.
(2) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1) (a), a policy direction of the Minister shall include a direction that procedures of the Commission enable the implementation of orders made by the Minister under sections 39 and 40.
(3) It shall be the duty of the Minister and the Commission to carry out their functions and exercise the powers conferred on them under this Act in a manner which—
(a) does not discriminate unfairly between holders of licences, authorisations and the Board or between applicants for authorisations or licences, and
(b) the Minister or the Commission, as the case may be, considers protects the interests of final customers.
(4) In carrying out the duty imposed by subsection (3), the Minister and the Commission shall have regard to the need:
(a) to promote competition in the generation and supply of electricity in accordance with this Act;
(b) to secure that all reasonable demands by final customers of electricity for electricity are satisfied;
(c) to secure that licence holders are capable of financing the undertaking of the activities which they are licensed to undertake;
(d) to promote safety and efficiency on the part of electricity undertakings;
(e) to promote the continuity, security and quality of supplies of electricity; and
(f) to promote the use of renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy.
(5) Without prejudice to subsections (3) and (4), it shall be the duty of the Commission:
(a) to take account of the protection of the environment;
(b) to encourage the efficient use and production of electricity;
(c) to take account of the needs of rural customers, the disadvantaged and the elderly;
(d) to encourage research and development into—
(i) methods of generating electricity using renewable, sustainable and alternative forms of energy and combined heat and power, and
(ii) methods of increasing efficiency in the use and production of electricity;
and
(e) to require that the system operator gives priority to generating stations using renewable, sustainable or alternative energy sources when selecting generating stations.
Directions to Commission.
10.—(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (4), the Minister may give directions to the Commission as regards the performance of its functions under this Act, including directions in relation to the terms and conditions of licences.
(2) The Minister shall not give directions in respect of—
(a) the persons to whom licences or authorisations may be granted, or
(b) the performance of its functions in relation to individual holders of licences or authorisations, individual eligible customers or the Board.
(3) The Commission shall comply with directions given by the Minister under subsection (1).
(4) This section shall stand repealed on the 19th day of February, 2000.
Authorised officers.
11.—(1) In this section a “person to whom this section applies” means the Board or a holder of a licence or an authorisation.
(2) The Commission may appoint persons to be authorised officers for the purposes of this section.
(3) A person appointed under subsection (2) shall, on his or her appointment, be furnished by the Commission with a certificate of his or her appointment and when exercising a power conferred by subsection (4) shall, if requested by any person thereby affected, produce such certificate to that person for inspection.
(4) For the purposes of the exercise by the Commission of its functions under this Act, an authorised officer may—
(a) enter at any reasonable time any premises owned or occupied by a person to whom this section applies for the purpose of exercising any powers conferred on him or her by this subsection,
(b) require a person to whom this section applies or any member, officer or employee of the person to whom this section applies to produce to the authorised officer any books, documents or records which are in his or her power or control, and in the case of information in a non-legible form to reproduce it in a legible form.
(c) inspect and take extracts from or make copies of any books, documents and records (including in the case of information in a non-legible form a copy of or extract from such information in a permanent legible form), and
(d) require a person to whom this section applies to maintain such books, documents and records for such period or periods of time as the authorised officer may direct.
(5) Where an authorised officer in exercise of his or her powers under this section is prevented from entering any premises an application may be made under section 12 for a warrant to authorise such entry.
(6) A person to whom this section applies who—
(a) obstructs or impedes an authorised officer in the exercise of a power under this section,
(b) fails or refuses to comply with a requirement under this section,
(c) knowingly alters, suppresses or destroys any books, documents or records which the person concerned has been required to produce, or may reasonably expect to be required to produce, or
(d) knowingly gives to the Commission or to an authorised officer information which is false or misleading, in a material respect,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or, at the discretion of the District Court, to both such fine and imprisonment.
Search warrants.
12.—If a judge of the District Court is satisfied on the sworn information of an authorised officer that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that there has been a contravention of a condition or requirement of a licence or an authorisation, the judge may issue a warrant authorising the authorised officer, accompanied by other authorised officers or members of the Garda Síochána, at any time or times within one month from the date of issue of the warrant, on production if so required of the warrant, to enter such premises as are specified in the warrant, if need be by reasonable force, and exercise all or any of the powers conferred on an authorised officer under section 11.
Prohibition on unauthorised disclosure of information.
13.—(1) Save as otherwise provided by law, a person shall not disclose confidential information obtained by him or her while performing duties as a member of, or as a member of the staff of, or an adviser or consultant to, or as an authorised officer of, the Commission, unless he or she is duly authorised by the Commission to do so.
(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or, at the discretion of the District Court, to both such fine and imprisonment.
(3) (a) In this section “confidential information” means that which is expressed by the Commission to be confidential either as regards particular information or as regards information of a particular class or description.
(b) In expressing information to be confidential, the Commission shall have regard to the requirement to protect information of a confidential commercial nature.
(4) The Freedom of Information Act, 1997, is hereby amended in the Third Schedule thereto by the addition to Part I at the end thereof—
(a) in column (2), of “Electricity Regulation Act, 1999.”, and
(b) in column (3), of “Section 13.”.
PART III
Licences and Authorisations
Licences to generate and supply electricity.
14.—(1) The Commission may grant or may refuse to grant to any person a licence—
(a) to generate electricity,
(b) to supply electricity to eligible customers,
(c) subject to section 28, to supply electricity to final customers which in aggregate does not exceed the amount of electricity which is available to the supplier and which is produced using renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy or electricity purchased, in place of such electricity, in accordance with the trading arrangements provided for in regulations to be made by the Commission under section 9(1) (d), or
(d) to supply to the single premises of the main heat customer electricity which is produced using combined heat and power at the generating station from which that main heat customer is supplied with heat, or electricity purchased, in place of such electricity, in accordance with the trading arrangements provided for in regulations to be made by the Commission under section 9(1) (d),
on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the licence.
(2) The Commission may grant to the Board a licence to supply electricity to eligible customers, subject to terms and conditions as may be specified in the licence.
(3) Any licence granted under this section shall be deemed to contain a condition that it shall be subject to modification for the purposes of compliance with any enactment implementing, whether in whole or in part, Council Directive No. 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December, 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity.
(4) An application for a licence under this section shall be in writing and be in such form and contain such information as the Commission may request.
(5) An application for a licence under this section shall be accompanied by such a fee, if any, as the Commission may determine to be appropriate, having regard to the application being made, and the Commission shall make information on such fees available on request.
(6) A licence granted by the Commission shall be subject to—
(a) modification in accordance with section 19, or
(b) revocation by the Commission in accordance with this Act.
(7) Where the Commission refuses to grant a licence to a person—
(a) the person shall be notified, in writing, by the Commission of the reasons for the refusal,
(b) within 28 days of the making of a refusal, the Commission shall notify, in writing, the Commission of the European Communities of the reasons for the refusal, and
(c) the person may appeal the refusal in accordance with section 29.
(8) The holder of a licence granted under paragraph (a) of subsection (1) may supply electricity to the holder of a licence granted under paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of that subsection or to the Board.
(9) A licence granted under paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of subsection (1) shall not authorise the supply of electricity to an eligible customer or final customer until after the 19th day of February, 2000.
(10) For the purposes of subsection (1), “main heat customer” means a person who has entered into a contract with a producer of combined heat and power to purchase, in a calendar year, an amount of heat produced by that producer, which amount of heat is greater than that contracted to be purchased in that year from that producer by any other person (if any).
(11) The Commission shall monitor licensees to ensure that they continue to conform to all the conditions and requirements of their licences.
(12) The Board shall be obliged to supply electricity to the holder of a licence under subsection (1) in accordance with the trading arrangements provided for in regulations to be made by the Commission under section 9(1) (d).
Permits under section 37 of Principal Act.
15.—(1) A person who has been granted a permit under section 37 of the Principal Act on or after the 1st day of September, 1998, shall apply for a licence or an authorisation within 3 months of the coming into operation of this section or such other period as may be agreed by the Commission.
(2) An application to the Board for a permit under section 37 of the Principal Act which has not been the subject of a decision by the Board before the commencement of this section shall be deemed to be an application for a licence under section 14 and an authorisation under section 17 and shall be dealt with accordingly.
(3) A permit granted under section 37 of the Principal Act on or after the 1st day of September, 1998, shall expire 12 months after the commencement of this section or on the granting on an earlier date of a licence or authorisation by the Commission.
(4) A permit granted under section 37 of the Principal Act before the 1st day of September, 1998, shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, continue in full force and effect.
(5) The power of modification or revocation of a permit referred to in subsection (3) or (4) shall be exercisable by the Commission and not by the Board, and any powers conferred on the Board by such a permit shall be exercisable by the Commission and not by the Board.
Authorisations to construct or reconstruct a generating station.
16.—(1) A person shall not construct or reconstruct a generating station, for the purpose of supply to final customers, unless an authorisation has been granted to the person by the Commission.
(2) Notwithstanding the Electricity (Supply) Acts, 1927 to 1995, the Board may not construct or reconstruct a generating station unless an authorisation has been granted to it by the Commission.
(3) Subject to section 17, the Commission may grant or may refuse to grant to any person an authorisation to construct or reconstruct a generating station, subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified in the authorisation including terms and conditions as to generating capacity of the proposed generating station.
(4) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding £100,000.
Application for authorisation.
17.—(1) An application for an authorisation under section 16 shall be in writing and be in such form and contain such information as the Commission may reasonably request.
(2) An application for an authorisation shall be accompanied by such a fee, if any, as the Commission may determine.
(3) An authorisation granted by the Commission shall be subject to—
(a) modification in accordance with section 19, or
(b) revocation by the Commission in accordance with this Act.
(4) Where the Commission refuses to grant an authorisation—
(a) the person shall be notified, in writing, by the Commission of the reasons for the refusal, and
(b) within 28 days of the making of the refusal, the Commission shall notify, in writing, the Commission of the European Communities of the reasons for the refusal, and
(c) the person may appeal the refusal in accordance with section 29.
Orders specifying criteria for considering applications for authorisations.
18.—(1) The Minister shall specify by order the criteria in accordance with which an application for an authorisation may be determined by the Commission.
(2) The criteria specified by the Minister under subsection (1) may relate to—
(a) the safety and security of the electricity system, electric plant and domestic lines,
(b) the protection of the environment including the limitation of emissions to the atmosphere, water or land,
(c) the siting of a generating station and associated land use,
(d) the efficient use of energy,
(e) the nature of the primary source of energy to be used by a generating station,
(f) the qualifications of an applicant, including the technical and financial qualifications of the applicant, and
(g) public service obligations provided for in an order under section 39.
(3) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order under this section including an order made under this subsection.
(4) An order under subsection (3) shall not be made unless a notice of intention to make such an order is published in a daily newspaper published and circulating in the State at least one month before the making of the order.
(5) A copy of the draft order proposed to be made under subsection (3) shall, on payment of the prescribed fee, if any, be given by the Minister to any person who requests it, and the notice of intention published under subsection (4) shall state that such a copy may be so obtained.
(6) An order under this section shall not provide for the use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity.
Modification of licence or authorisation.
19.—(1) Where the holder of a licence or an authorisation so requests the Commission may modify the conditions or requirements of the licence or authorisation.
(2) Where the Commission is of the opinion that a licence or an authorisation should be amended it may do so with or without the consent of the holder of the licence or the authorisation, as the case may be.
(3) Where the Commission is of the opinion that a modification of a condition or requirement of a licence or an authorisation is a modification of a class required by an order of the Minister made under section 39 or 40 the Commission may modify the conditions or requirements of the licence or authorisation concerned without the consent of the holder of that licence or authorisation, as the case may be.
Procedures to be followed before modifying licences or authorisations.
20.—(1) Subsections (2) to (6) shall apply to all modifications of a licence or an authorisation other than a modification made to give effect to an order under section 39 or 40.
(2) Before modifying a licence or an authorisation the Commission shall issue a notice—
(a) stating that it proposes to make such modification,
(b) stating the nature of such modification and the reasons therefor, and
(c) specifying the period (being not less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modification may be made.
(3) The Commission shall consider any representations or objections which are made under subsection (2) and not withdrawn.
(4) A notice under subsection (2) shall be given—
(a) by publishing the notice in a newspaper circulating in the State, and
(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the holder of the licence or authorisation.
(5) The Commission shall send a copy of a notice issued under subsection (2) to the Minister who shall arrange, without undue delay, to provide a copy of the notice to the Oireachtas library.
(6) Where, within the period specified in subsection (2) (c), no objections or representations are made or such objections or representations as are made in that period are subsequently withdrawn, the modification of the licence or authorisation concerned shall have effect accordingly.
(7) Where objections or representations made within the period specified in subsection (2) (c) are not withdrawn—
(a) the Commission may either accept or reject such objections or representations, in whole or in part, and the modification shall have effect accordingly, or
(b) where it is satisfied that sufficient grounds exist to warrant a public hearing, the Commission may cause such a public hearing to be held.
(8) Where the Commission rejects any objections or representations made under this section without a public hearing being held, the reasons for the rejection and the refusal of a public hearing shall be notified to the persons who made those objections or representations and the proposed modification shall be effected in accordance with section 22(3).
Public hearings of Commission.
21.—(1) Where the Commission proposes to hold a public hearing under section 20(7) (b) it shall issue a notice stating—
(a) the date (being not less than 28 days from the date of giving notice) on which it is intended to hold the hearing, and
(b) the location at which it is intended to hold the hearing.
(2) A notice referred to in subsection (1) shall be given—
(a) by publishing the notice in a newspaper circulating in the State, and
(b) by serving the notice on the holder of the licence or authorisation concerned and any persons by whom objections or representations were made in the period referred to in section 20(2) (c).
(3) All hearing of the Commission shall be open to members of the public and may be held before the Commission or any other person authorised by the Commission to hold such a hearing and references to the Commission in subsection (4) shall include references to any other person so authorised.
(4) At a public hearing held for the purposes of this section—
(a) those persons by whom objections or representations were made in the period referred to in section 20(2) (c) may be heard,
(b) the Commission may assess the interest of any person who applies to be a party to the hearing and may admit or exclude them for stated reasons, and
(c) the Commission may administer oaths, issue notices, issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, accounts, papers, records, documents and material and take and receive evidence.
(5) The Commission may, following consultation with the Minister, make rules concerning the practice and procedures to be adopted at such public hearings.
(6) A witness before a public hearing shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he or she were a witness before the High Court.
Determination by Commission following public hearing.
22.—(1) The Commission shall, within a reasonable period from the date of completion of a public hearing, make a determination—
(a) to modify a licence or an authorisation in accordance with the proposed modification set out in the notice issued under section 20(2)(b) or otherwise, or
(b) not to make the modification concerned.
(2) Notice of a determination made under subsection (1) shall be given to the holder of the licence or authorisation concerned and any parties to the hearing and the determination shall be made available by the Commission to any other person on request.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), the modification of a licence or authorisation shall be effected—
(a) by serving notice of the modification on the holder of the licence or authorisation concerned, and
(b) by publishing the notice in a newspaper circulating in the State.
(4) A modification of a licence or authorisation shall take effect on the day which is 28 days after the day on which—
(a) service of notice of modification on the holder of the licence or authorisation concerned is effected, or
(b) notice of modification of the licence or authorisation concerned is published in a newspaper circulating in the State.
whichever is the later, unless an appeal is made under section 29(2) in which case the modification shall not come into effect, unless confirmed under section 30(7).
Directions by Commission to protect public health, etc.
23.—(1) In this section and in sections 24, 25 and 26 “condition or requirement” means any term or condition of a licence or an authorisation or any requirement imposed by or under this Act.
(2) Where the Commission is satisfied that all or any of the circumstances set out in subsection (3) have arisen or are likely to arise it may direct the holder of the licence or authorisation concerned or the Board in respect of the transmission and distribution system to discontinue or to refrain from specified practices.
(3) The circumstances referred to in subsection (2) are—
(a) where the Commission is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary to protect—
(i) public health or safety or the environment,
(ii) the continuity of supplies of electricity,
(iii) the interests of other holders of licences or authorisations;
(b) where the Commission is of the opinion that the holder of a licence or an authorisation is contravening or is likely to contravene a condition or a requirement and immediate action is necessary to cease or prevent such contravention; or
(c) where the Commission is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary to prevent dissipation of the assets of the holder of a licence or an authorisation.
(4) Nothing in this section shall authorise the Commission to give directions relating to industrial disputes.
Issue of notice by Commission concerning contraventions, etc.
24.—(1) Where the Commission is of the opinion that the holder of a licence or an authorisation may be contravening or may be likely to contravene a condition or requirement, it may issue a notice under subsection (2) to the holder of the licence or authorisation.
(2) The notice referred to in subsection (1) shall—
(a) specify—
(i) the condition or requirement which the Commission considers that the holder of the licence or authorisation may be contravening or may be likely to contravene, or
(ii) the acts or omissions which in the opinion of the Commission may constitute or would be likely to constitute contravention of the condition or requirement concerned,
and
(b) specify the period (being not less than 28 days from the date of the issuing of the notice) within which representations or objections may be made.
(3) The Commission shall consider any representations or objections which are made under subsection (2) and not withdrawn.
(4) On consideration of any representations or objections, the Commission may give a direction to the holder of a licence or an authorisation to take such measures as are necessary to cease the contravention or to prevent a future contravention.
(5) As soon as practicable after giving a direction in accordance with subsection (4) or section 23(2) the Commission shall give notice of the direction in accordance with subsection (10).
(6) Subject to subsection (7), the Commission may revoke a direction given under this section.
(7) Before revoking a direction the Commission shall give notice in accordance with subsection (10)—
(a) stating that it proposes to revoke the direction and setting out the effect of the revocation, and
(b) specifying the period (being not less than 28 days from the publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed revocation may be made.
(8) The Commission shall consider any representations or objections which are made under subsection (7) and not withdrawn.
(9) If, after giving notice of a revocation made in accordance with subsection (6), the Commission decides not to revoke the direction to which the notice refers, it shall give notice of its decision.
(10) A notice under this section shall be given—
(a) by publishing the notice in a newspaper circulating in the State, and
(b) by serving a copy of the notice and a copy of the direction or revocation, as the case may be, on the holder of the licence or authorisation to whom the notice, direction or revocation relates.
Determination by Commission of specified breach.
25.—(1) Where the Commission decides not to give a direction under section 24(4), the Commission may make a determination that the holder of a licence or an authorisation has committed a specified breach of a condition or requirement.
(2) As soon as practicable after making a determination under subsection (1) the Commission shall—
(a) publish a notice of the determination in a newspaper circulating in the State, and
(b) serve a copy of the notice and a copy of the determination on the holder of the licence or authorisation to whom the determination relates.
Compliance with direction or determination.
26.—(1) In order to ensure compliance with a direction given under section 24, the Commission may apply in a summary manner ex parte or on notice to the High Court for an order requiring the holder of a licence or an authorisation who, in the opinion of the Commission, is contravening or who is likely to contravene a condition or requirement to discontinue or to refrain from specified practices.
(2) The High Court may make such order as it thinks fit and may confirm, revoke or vary a direction given by the Commission.
Eligible customers.
27.—(1) The Commission, with the consent of the Minister, may prescribe the means by which the consumption of electricity is estimated and calculated for the purpose of this section and references in this section to calculation or estimation of electricity consumption shall be references to calculations or estimates made under those regulations.
(2) A consumer of electricity whose consumption of electricity at any single premises in any 12 month period is estimated and calculated to be or likely to be greater than 4 Giga Watt hours shall be deemed to be an eligible customer at that premises for the purposes of this Act.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), the Minister may be order vary the figure of 4 Giga Watt hours referred to in subsection (2).
(4) The Minister shall give notice of his or her intention to make an order under subsection (3) or (5) by publishing it in a newspaper circulating in the State at least 28 days before the making of the order.
(5) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order made under subsection (3) including an order made under this subsection.
(6) Where an order is proposed to be made under this section, a draft of the order shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each such House.
Purchase of electricity from combined heat and power.
28.—(1) The Minister, after consultation with the Commission, may, from time to time, prescribe the total amount or amounts of electricity from combined heat and power which may be supplied to final customers under section 14(1) (d) in any specified period.
(2) The Minister may prescribe procedures, including procedures relating to access to the transmission or distribution system and the circumstances in which the Board shall supply electricity to such final customers, to be followed for the purposes of this section.
PART IV
Appeal Panels
Establishment of Appeal Panel.
29.—(1) This section applies to—
(a) a person whose application for a licence or an authorisation is refused.
(b) a person who is a holder of a licence or an authorisation and who wishes to appeal against a decision of the Commission—
(i) to modify the licence or authorisation concerned, other than a modification of a class required by an order made under section 39 or 40, or
(ii) to refuse to modify the licence or authorisation concerned at the request of the holder of that licence or authorisation.
(2) A person to whom this section applies may, within 28 days of the making of a decision—
(a) to refuse to grant a licence or an authorisation,
(b) to modify a licence or an authorisation, or
(c) to refuse to modify a licence or an authorisation,
request the Minister to establish a panel to be known and in this Act referred to as an “Appeal Panel”.
(3) When requested to establish an Appeal Panel, following consultation with the Competition Authority as to the composition of the Appeal Panel, the Minister shall, within one month, establish an Appeal Panel to consider an appeal made under this section.
(4) An Appeal Panel established under this section shall consist of at least three persons, one of whom shall be appointed by the Minister to be the chairperson of the Appeal Panel.
(5) An Appeal Panel shall have all the powers and duties of the Commission that are necessary to carry out the functions of the Appeal Panel under this Act.
(6) An Appeal Panel shall be independent in the performance of its functions.
(7) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order made under this section including an order made under this subsection.
(8) All appeals under Part IV of this Act shall be determined within six months.
Functions of Appeal Panel.
30.—(1) An Appeal Panel shall hear and determine an appeal against—
(a) a refusal to grant a licence or an authorisation,
(b) a modification, or
(c) a refusal to modify a licence or an authorisation,
and shall specify, on notice to the Commission and the appellant, the date on which the appeal shall be heard.
(2) An Appeal Panel shall have the powers, rights and privileges vested in the High Court or a judge thereof on the hearing of an action in respect of—
(a) the enforcement of the attendance of witnesses and their examination on oath or otherwise, and
(b) the compelling of the production of documents.
(3) A summons signed by the chairperson of the Appeal Panel or by such other member of the Appeal Panel as may be authorised by the Appeal Panel may be substituted for and shall be equivalent to any formal procedure capable of being issued in an action for enforcing the attendance of witnesses and compelling the production of documents.
(4) Where a person—
(a) being duly summoned to attend before an Appeal Panel makes a default in attending,
(b) being in attendance as a witness before an Appeal Panel refuses to take an oath lawfully required by that Panel to be taken or to produce any document in his or her power or control lawfully required by that Appeal Panel to be produced by him or her or to answer any question to which the Appeal Panel may lawfully require an answer, or
(c) being in attendance before an Appeal Panel does anything which, if the Appeal Panel were a court of law having power to commit for contempt, would be contempt of court,
that person shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,500.
(5) A witness before an Appeal Panel shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he or she were a witness before the High Court.
(6) An Appeal Panel may confirm the refusal to grant a licence or an authorisation or may direct the Commission to grant a licence or an authorisation with or without conditions laid down by the Appeal Panel and where such a direction is made the Commission shall, in accordance with the decision of the Appeal Panel, grant the licence or authorisation, subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Commission which are not inconsistent with the decision of the Appeal Panel.
(7) In the case of a modification of a licence or an authorisation, the Appeal Panel may either confirm the modification or direct the Commission not to make it.
(8) In the case of a refusal to modify a licence or an authorisation, the Appeal Panel may either confirm the decision of the Commission or may direct the Commission to modify the licence or authorisation.
(9) The Appeal Panel shall notify the persons concerned of its decision in respect of an appeal under this section.
Orders for establishment of Appeal Panels and related matters.
31.—(1) An order made by the Minister under section 29(3) for the purpose of establishing an Appeal Panel may provide for—
(a) the membership, on such terms and conditions as the Minister considers appropriate, of the Appeal Panel,
(b) the procedure to be adopted by the Appeal Panel in considering any matter referred to it, and
(c) any other matters which the Minister considers incidental or expedient for the proper and efficient conduct of an appeal by the Appeal Panel.
(2) The remuneration and allowances for expenses, if any, of a member of an Appeal Panel shall be such as may be determined by the Minister, with the approval of the Minister for Finance, and shall form part of the expenses of the Commission.
Review of determination of Commission.
32.—(1) Without prejudice to any right under this Act to appeal to an Appeal Panel, a person shall not question in any legal proceedings—
(a) the validity of a decision of the Commission on an application made to it for the grant of a licence or an authorisation or for the modification of a licence or an authorisation,
(b) a modification by the Commission of a licence or an authorisation, or
(c) a decision of an Appeal Panel under section 30,
otherwise than by way of an application for judicial review under Order 84 of the Rules of the Superior Court (S.I. No. 15 of 1986).
(2) An application for leave to apply for judicial review in respect of any matter referred to in subsection (1) shall—
(a) be made within the period of two months commencing on the date on which the decision is given, and
(b) be made by motion on notice to—
(i) the Commission,
(ii) where the applicant for leave is not the applicant for or holder of the licence or authorisation concerned, the applicant or holder of that licence or authorisation, and
(iii) any other person specified for that purpose by order of the High Court,
and such leave shall not be granted unless the High Court is satisfied that there are substantial grounds for contending that the decision is invalid or ought to be quashed.
(3) (a) The determination of the High Court of such an application for leave to apply for judicial review or of an application for such judicial review shall be final and no appeal shall lie from the decision of the High Court to the Supreme Court in either case save with the leave of the High Court which leave shall only be granted where the High Court certifies that its decision involves a point of law of exceptional public importance and that it is desirable in the public interest that an appeal should be taken to the Supreme Court.
(b) This subsection shall not apply to a determination of the High Court in so far as it involves a question as to the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of the Constitution.
PART V
Access to Transmission and Distribution Systems
Preparation of grid code and distribution code.
33.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), within such time and following such consultation as the Commission may direct, the Board shall make regulations, subject to the approval of the Commission, setting out a grid code in relation to the transmission system of the Board and a distribution code in relation to the distribution system of the Board.
(2) The Commission may from time to time give directions to the Board in respect of—
(a) the matters to be specified in the grid code and the distribution code, and
(b) the review and revision by the Board from time to time of the grid code and the distribution code,
and the Board shall comply with directions given by the Commission under this section.
(3) All releases of information under this section shall be made available within one month of any request for same.
Terms for connection to and use of transmission or distribution system.
34.—(1) Subject to subsection (4), where an application is made to the Board by any person, the Board shall offer to enter into an agreement for connection to or use of the transmission or distribution system, subject to terms and conditions specified in accordance with directions given to the Board by the Commission under this section from time to time.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), directions given by the Commission under this section may provide for:
(a) the matters to be specified in an agreement for connection to and use of the transmission or distribution system;
(b) the matters to be specified in an agreement for use of the transmission or distribution system;
(c) the terms and conditions upon which an offer for connection to the transmission or distribution system is made;
(d) the methods for determining the proportion of the costs to be borne by the person making the application for connection to the transmission or distribution system and to be borne by the Board being costs which are directly or indirectly incurred in carrying out works under an agreement or making a connection or modifying an existing connection;
(e) the terms and conditions upon which applications for an agreement are to be made and the period of time within which an offer or refusal pursuant to an application is to be made by the Board; and
(f) any other matters which the Commission considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of making an offer for connection to or use of the transmission or distribution system,
and the Board shall comply with directions given by the Commission under this section within such time period as may be specified by the Commission.
(3) An offer made under subsection (1) to a person who is not the holder of a licence under section 14 or an authorisation under section 16 or an eligible customer shall be subject to the grant of a licence or authorisation to that person or to that person becoming an eligible customer.
(4) The Board shall not be required under subsection (1) to enter into an agreement where—
(a) it has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Commission that it is not in the public interest to provide additional capacity to meet the requirements to be imposed by that agreement,
(b) to enter into an agreement under this section would be likely to involve the Board:
(i) in a breach of this Act;
(ii) in a breach of regulations made under this Act;
(iii) in a breach of the grid code or distribution code; or
(iv) in a breach of the conditions of any licence or authorisation granted to the Board under this Act,
or
(c) the person making the application does not undertake to be bound by the terms of the grid code or distribution code in so far as those terms are applicable to that person.
(5) Where the Board refuses to offer to enter into an agreement under this section the Board shall serve notice on the applicant of the reasons for such refusal.
(6) Any dispute between the Board and any person who is, or claims to be, a person to whom the Board is obliged to make an offer for connection to and use of the transmission or distribution system (and whether as to the making of an offer, the terms offered, the proposed charges or otherwise)—
(a) where an offer is made by the Board, or
(b) where an offer is refused by the Board,
may, upon the application of that person, be determined by the Commission and the Board shall comply with and be bound by any such determination.
(7) In order to secure compliance with a determination made under this section the Commission may apply in a summary manner on notice to the High Court for an order requiring the Board to comply with the determination of the Commission made under this section.
(8) Where providing for use of the transmission or distribution system or where offering terms for the carrying out of works for the purpose of connection to the transmission or distribution system of the Board, the Board shall not discriminate unfairly as between any persons or classes of persons.
Charges for connection to and use of transmission or distribution system.
35.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), within such time as the Commission may direct, the Board shall prepare a statement for the approval of the Commission setting out the basis upon which charges are imposed—
(a) for use of the transmission or distribution system of the Board, and
(b) for connection to the transmission or distribution system of the Board.
(2) The Commission may give directions to the Board from time to time in respect of the basis for charges for use of and connection to the transmission or distribution system of the Board.
(3) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (2), directions given by the Commission under this section may provide for—
(a) the methods of charging to be included in the statement to be prepared by the Board,
(b) the form and the extent of the information to be provided by the Board to applicants,
(c) the form of charges and information about those charges to be included in the statement to be prepared by the Board,
(d) the procedure to be adopted in the submission by the Board of a statement of charges and the approval by the Commission of such statement, and
(e) the nature of information to be provided to applicants seeking connection to or use of the transmission or distribution systems and its presentation and transparency,
and the Board shall comply with directions given by the Commission under this section.
(4) A charge for connection to or for the use of the transmission or distribution system of the Board shall be calculated in accordance with directions given by the Commission under this section so as to enable the Board to recover—
(a) the appropriate proportion of the costs directly or indirectly incurred in carrying out any necessary works, and
(b) a reasonable rate of return on the capital represented by such costs.
(5) The Commission, solely, will determine what constitutes an “appropriate proportion” referred to in subsection (4)(a) and a “reasonable rate of return” referred to in subsection (4)(b).
Approval by Commission of statement of charges.
36.—(1) The Board shall send each statement prepared in accordance with section 35 to the Commission for its approval (in this section referred to as the “statement”) and the statement, and in particular any charges referred to therein, shall not apply until such time as it has been approved of by the Commission.
(2) The Commission shall consult with the Board and have regard to any submission made by the Board to the Commission prior to making a decision as to whether to approve of or not, as the case may be, a statement submitted by the Board to the Commission for approval.
(3) A statement and, in particular, charges referred to therein, shall not take effect until such time as it is approved of by the Commission, subject to such modifications, if any, as the Commission considers appropriate.
(4) Any charges imposed by the Board on or before the commencement of this section shall, subject to the approval of the Commission, continue in force until a statement has been approved of by the Commission under this section and thereafter all charges shall be in accordance with a statement approved of by the Commission.
Direct lines.
37.—(1) Where access to the transmission or distribution system for holders of licences or authorisations or eligible customers is refused by the Board due to lack of capacity the Commission may permit the holder of the licence or authorisation or eligible customer to whom such refusal is made to construct a direct line not connected to the transmission or distribution system for the purpose of facilitating the supply of electricity for which the application for use of the transmission or distribution system concerned was made and refused.
(2) A permission to construct a direct line granted by the Commission under this subsection shall require the person to whom the permission was granted to comply with such technical and other conditions, including those which may be necessary to ensure that direct lines are compatible with the transmission or distribution system, to such extent as the Commission may specify in the permission.
(3) The owner of a direct line constructed under subsection (1) may allow the direct line to be used for the transport of electricity to other eligible customers.
(4) (a) Where there is a connection made between a direct line and the transmission or distribution system of the Board, on the application of the Board, the Commission may direct the owner of a direct line constructed under subsection (1) to transfer the ownership of the direct line to the Board on such terms, including terms as to compensation, as may be agreed between the Board and the owner of the direct line.
(b) In default of agreement between the Board and the owner as to compensation, such compensation shall be assessed under the provisions of the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, and for this purpose the Board shall be deemed to be a public authority.
Estimate of capacity, forecast flows and loading.
38.—(1) On and after the commencement of this section, and at such intervals as the Commission may direct, the Board shall prepare a statement, (to be known and in this Act referred to as a “forecast statement”) based on the information available to it, in a form approved of by the Commission.
(2) A forecast statement shall include forecasts in respect of capacity, forecast flows and loading on each part of the transmission system of the Board and fault levels for each electricity transmission node together with:
(a) such further information as shall be reasonably necessary to enable any person seeking use of the transmission or distribution system to identify and evaluate the opportunities available when connecting to and making use of the transmission or distribution system;
(b) a statement identifying those parts of the transmission system of the Board most suited to new connections and to the transport of further quantities of electricity;
(c) the generating capacity which is likely to be connected to the transmission system;
(d) the demand for electricity in the period to which the statement relates; and
(e) a statement on the demand for electricity generated from renewable, sustainable or alternative sources generally and a statement on arrangements for the supply of electricity to customers who have opted to purchase such electricity.
(3) The Board may revise from time to time the information set out in and, with the approval of the Commission, alter the form of each forecast statement and shall, at least once in every year, revise such statements.
(4) The Board shall give a copy of a forecast statement and of each revision of the forecast statement under subsection (3) to the Commission.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), the Board shall give a copy of a forecast statement or, as the case may be, of the latest revision of the forecast statement, to any person who requests a copy of such statement or statements within fourteen days of the date that the request was received.
(6) The Board may, with the prior consent of the Commission, omit from a forecast statement given under subsection (4) any confidential details as to the capacity, loading or other information, where disclosure of that information would, in the opinion of the Commission, prejudice the commercial interests of the Board or any other person.
(7) The Board may make a charge for each forecast statement given under subsection (4) of an amount which shall not exceed the maximum amount specified by the Commission for the purpose of this section.
(8) In this section the period to which the forecast statement relates shall be seven calendar years on and after the date on which the statement is prepared by the Board.
PART VI
Public Service Obligations and Transitional Arrangements
Public service obligations.
39.—(1) The Minister, following consultation with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, shall by order direct the Commission to impose on the Board and holders of licences or authorisations, or holders of a permit under section 37 of the Principal Act, public service obligations which may include obligations in relation to—
(a) security of supply,
(b) regularity, quality and price of supplies,
(c) environmental protection, and
(d) use of indigenous energy sources.
(2) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1), an order made by the Minister under this section may require the Commission to impose on the Board a requirement to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that, in any calendar year, there shall be available to the Board a specific quantity of electricity from—
(a) generating stations which use as their primary energy fuel source peat harvested within the State provided that the amount of peat used in any calendar year to generate that quantity of electricity may not exceed 15 per cent. of the overall primary energy necessary to produce the electricity consumed in the State that year, and
(b) generating stations chosen as a result of a competitive process established by the Minister, the Commission or the Commission of the European Communities, as the case may be, which use as their primary fuel source such renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy as may be specified in the order or which operate as combined heat and power plants.
(3) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1), an order made under this section may provide for—
(a) the imposition of a public service obligation on the Board in respect of electricity which is produced using indigenous fuel or renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy as their primary source or which operate as combined heat and power plants as a result of a competitive process established by the Minister or the Commission of the European Communities prior to this enactment, and
(b) measures designed to encourage effective and efficient use of electricity and to reduce demand for electricity.
(4) The Minister shall send a copy of an order made under subsection (1) to the Commission of the European Communities not later than 28 days after the making of the order.
(5) Subject to subsection (6), an order under this section shall provide for—
(a) the recovery, by way of a levy on final customers in respect of electricity provided to such customers, of the additional costs including a reasonable rate of return on the capital represented by such costs, where appropriate, incurred by the Board or holders of a licence or an authorisation in complying with an order under subsection (1) including costs incurred after the variation or revocation of such an order,
(b) the collection of payments in that respect by the Board or a holder of a licence or an authorisation,
(c) the making, out of such payments so collected, of payments to the Board and holders of licences or authorisations, as appropriate.
(6) An order made under this section which, in accordance with subsection (5), provides for the recovery of additional costs referred to in that subsection shall provide that such costs shall be recovered in respect of a specified period of years and that the amount to be paid in respect of each year in that period to the Board or to a holder of a licence or an authorisation shall be the amount of the additional costs certified by the Commission as having been incurred by the Board or such holder of a licence or an authorisation in accordance with the order.
(7) An order made under this section may—
(a) impose requirements (whether as to the furnishing of records or other information or the affording of facilities for the examination and testing of meters or otherwise) on the Board and on holders of licences or authorisations,
(b) provide for the times at which payments are to be made (whether payments by way of levy or payments to the Board and holders of licences or authorisations), and
(c) require the amount of any overpayment or underpayment which is made by or to any person to be set off against or added to any subsequent liability or entitlement of that person.
(8) The Minister shall exercise the powers conferred by this section so as to ensure that the sums realised by the levy or otherwise are sufficient (after the payment of the administrative expenses of holders of licences to supply under section 14 or of the Board incurred in the collection of the levy) to pay to the Board and holders of licences or authorisations the payment required to be made by the order.
(9) The Minister may by order, amend or revoke an order made under this section including an order made under this subsection but such amendment or revocation shall be without prejudice to the continued operation of the order in respect of additional costs of the type referred to in subsection (5) which the Commission certifies in respect of each year or part thereof of the unexpired part of the specified period of years to have been reasonably incurred notwithstanding the amendment or revocation.
(10) A draft of the order proposed to be made under this section shall be given by the Minister to the person or persons upon whom the obligation is to be imposed one month before the order is made.
(11) For the purposes of orders made under this section, “public service obligation” means an obligation placed on electricity undertakings which takes account of general social, economic and environmental factors.
Transitional arrangements.
40.—(1) Where the Minister is satisfied that as a consequence of the implementation of Directive No. 96/92/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December, 1996, the Board is unable to recover specified costs or revenue relating to a generating station constructed or under construction or reconstruction before the 19th day of February, 1997, he or she shall, after consultation with the Commission and the Commission of the European Communities, by order provide for the payment to the Board of an annual sum and for the recovery from final customers of the amounts so paid to the Board.
(2) The sum referred to in subsection (1) shall be calculated in accordance with the order in respect of the annual specified amounts of unrecovered costs or revenue that may occur in each single year applied only to a specified period of years.
(3) Notwithstanding the generality of subsection (1), the Minister may by order provide for—
(a) a levy on final customers in respect of electricity provided to such customers,
(b) the collection of payments in that respect by the Board and holders of licences or authorisations, or holders of a permit under section 37 of the Principal Act,
(c) the making of payments to the Board, out of such payments so collected,
(d) a condition that any amount paid to the Board under the order shall be used for purposes specified in the order and that the Commission shall have the power to ascertain whether such a condition is being complied with,
(e) conditions, in which a levy would be paid to the Board,
(f) the recovery from the Board of an amount or part thereof paid to it under the order where it has not been used in accordance with the order, and
(g) the certification by the Commission in respect of each year in the specified period of years that in that year the conditions specified in the order have been satisfied.
(4) An order made under this section may—
(a) impose requirements (whether as to the furnishing of records or other information or the affording of facilities for the examination and testing of meters or otherwise) on the Board,
(b) provide for the times at which payments (whether payments by way of levy or payments to the Board) are to be made,
(c) require the amount of any overpayment or underpayment which is made by or to any person to be set off against or added to any subsequent liability or entitlement of that person, and
(d) provide for the date of termination of the arrangement provided for in the order.
(5) The Minister shall exercise the powers conferred by this section so as to ensure that the sums realised by the levy are sufficient (after the payment of the administrative expenses of holders of licences to supply under section 14 or of the Board incurred in the collection of the levy) to pay to the Board the payment required to be made by the order.
(6) Subject to subsection (7), the Minister may by order amend or revoke an order made under this section including an order made under this subsection.
(7) The sum calculated in accordance with subsection (2) shall not be altered.
(8) A draft of the order proposed to be made under subsection (6) shall be given to the Board by the Minister one month before the order is made.
PART VII
Consequential Repeals and Amendments
Repeals.
41.—Sections 36 and 37 of the Principal Act are hereby repealed.
Amendment of section 35 of Principal Act.
42.—Section 35 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in subsection (1) by the insertion after “granted under this Act” of “or a licence granted under section 14 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999,” and the subsection as so amended is set out in the Table to this section.
TABLE
(1) From and after the expiration of six months from the passing of this Act or such further period as may be fixed by the Board for any particular area, no person (other than the Board) shall sell electricity or supply electricity for sale unless he is an authorised undertaker or is a person authorised by a permit granted under this Act or a licence granted under section 14 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, to supply electricity.
Amendment of section 45 of Principal Act.
43.—Section 45 of the Principal Act is hereby amended in paragraph (a) of subsection (5) by the insertion after “the Board” of “or a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be” and the paragraph as so amended is set out in the Table to this section.
TABLE
(5) A special order made under this section may incorporate—
(a) the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, with the modification that the expression “public authority” shall include the Board or a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be.
Amendment of section 77 of Principal Act.
44.—Section 77 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for that section of the following section:
“Payment by local authorities of expenses of certain alterations. | 77.—Whenever a local authority on account of or for the purpose of an alteration to a road or bridge— |
(a) requires an authorised undertaker or a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, to alter the position or depth of underground electrical wires, mains, or other electrical works or the position of poles or other structures carrying electrical wires or mains or other above ground electrical works, or | |
(b) requires the Board to alter the position or depth of any such underground electrical works or the position of any such above ground electrical works as aforesaid belonging to or under the control of the Board, | |
the expenses incurred by such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or by the Board, as the case may be, in complying with such requisition shall be paid to such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or to the Board, as the case may require, by such local authority or, demand as part of the expenses of the maintenance of such road or bridge and the amount of such expenses so to be paid to such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or to the Board shall be fixed by an arbitrator appointed by the Commission for Electricity Regulation established under section 8 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999.”. |
Amendment of section 98 of Principal Act.
45.—Section 98 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for that section of the following section:
“Lopping of trees by Board, an authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation. | 98.—(1) The Board, an authorised undertaker or a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be, may, taking due care and attention to avoid unneccessary damage, lop or cut any tree, shrub or hedge which obstructs or interferes with any electrical wires of the Board or of such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be, or with the erection or laying of any such electrical wires or with the survey of the proposed route of any transmission or distribution lines of the Board or of such authorised undertaker or of any electric wire of a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999. |
(2) Before lopping or cutting any tree, shrub or hedge under this section the Board or an authorised undertaker or a holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be, shall give to the occupier of the land or in the case of a road or street to the local authority charged with the maintenance of such road or street on which such tree, shrub or hedge is standing, seven days notice of its intention to lop or cut the same and such occupier or local authority may if he or it, as the case may be, so desires and so informs the Board or such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation, as the case may be, within seven days himself or itself carry out such lopping or cutting. | |
(3) When the occupier of land cuts or lops any tree, shrub or hedge under this section the expense incurred by him in so doing shall be paid to him on demand by the Board or such authorised undertaker or holder of an authorisation under section 16 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, or holder of a direct line permission under section 37 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999, as the case may be, and the amount of such expenses shall, in default of agreement, be fixed by an arbitrator appointed by the Commission for Electricity Regulation established under section 8 of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999.”. |
Amendment of Freedom of Information Act, 1997.
46.—The First Schedule of the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, is hereby amended by the inclusion in paragraph 1(2) of the following—
“the Commission for Electricity Regulation,”.
PART VIII
Miscellaneous
Compulsory acquisition of land by Commission, etc.
47.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) the power to make a special order conferred on the Board by section 45(1) of the Principal Act shall be exerciseable by the Commission and not by the Board on the application of the Board or a holder of an authorisation or a person who has applied for an authorisation and any references in that Act to the making of special orders shall be construed as references to the making of such orders by the Commission.
(2) A special order made by the Commission shall operate to confer on an applicant for an authorisation under section 16 the functions which such an order would confer on the Board.
(3) Where an application is made to the Commission for a special order under this section, section 45(2) to (6) of the Principal Act shall apply to the Commission as it does to the Board.
Construction of sections 51 and 52(1) of Principal Act.
48.—The power to lay electric lines conferred on the Board by section 51 and section 52(1) of the Principal Act may, with the consent of the Commission, also be exercised by the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37 and the said section 51 and 52(1) shall apply to the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under the said section 37 in like manner as they apply to the Board.
Construction of section 53 of Principal Act.
49.—A holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission may, with the consent of the Commission, for the purposes of such authorisation, exercise the powers conferred on the Board by subsections (1) to (5) and (9) of section 53 of the Principal Act and references to the Board in those subsections shall be construed as including references to a holder of an authorisation.
Construction of section 54 of Principal Act.
50.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), references in section 54 of the Principal Act to an authorised undertaker shall include references to the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37.
(2) Where regulations made before the commencement of this section are made by the Board under the Principal Act which regulate the placing of electric lines across or along or either over or under any railway, land, inland navigation, dock or harbour those regulations shall apply to the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37.
(3) The Board shall not amend regulations to which subsection (2) applies without the consent of the Commission.
(4) The Commission may prescribe modifications to regulations referred to in subsection (2) for the purposes of enabling their application to the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37.
Construction of section 91 of Principal Act.
51.—Section 91 of the Principal Act shall apply to the holder of an authorisation or the holder of a direct line permission under section 37 in like manner as it applies to an authorised undertaker and references to the Board shall be construed as references to the Commission for that purpose.
Application of certain regulations.
52.—Regulations made by the Board before the commencement of this section under section 2 of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949, shall have effect in respect of persons to whom licences or authorisations have been granted under this Act or in respect of eligible customers.
Amendment of section 2(2) of Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949.
53.—Section 2 of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949, is hereby amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):
“(2) Where the Board proposes to make regulations under this section the purposes of which are not solely connected with the procedure, administration or internal direction of the Board, it shall submit the regulations to the Commission for approval and the Commission may—
(a) approve of the regulations with or without amendments, or
(b) refuse to approve of the regulations until amendments specified by the Commission are made by the Board.”.
Repeal of section 2(3), (4) and (6) of Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949.
54.— Section 2(3), (4) and (6) of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act, 1949, is hereby repealed.
SCHEDULE
The Commission for Electricity Regulation
1. The Commission shall consist of at least one but not more than three members, each of whom shall be appointed by the Minister on such terms and conditions of appointment, including remuneration, as the Minister may fix, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, to hold office in a full-time capacity for a period of not less than three and not more than seven years.
2. Where there is more than one member of the Commission, the Minister shall appoint one of them to be chairperson of the Commission on such terms and conditions of appointment, including remuneration, as the Minister may fix, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, to hold office in a full-time capacity for a period of not less than three and not more than five years.
3. A member of the Commission, including the chairperson, whose term of office expires by effluxion of time shall be eligible for re-appointment to serve a second term, subject to a limit of serving no more than ten years on the Commission.
4. A member of the Commission shall not be entitled to serve more than two terms of office.
5. A member of the Commission may—
(a) at any time resign his or her office by letter addressed to the Minister and the resignation shall take effect from the date of receipt of the letter, and
(b) be removed from office by the Minister if, in his or her opinion, the member has become incapable through ill-health of effectively performing his or her duties or for stated misbehaviour and the Minister shall cause to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas a statement of the reasons for such removal.
6. The Commission may act notwithstanding a vacancy or vacancies in its membership.
7. A member of the Commission shall not hold any other office or employment in respect of which emoluments are payable.
8. A member of the Commission shall not, for a period of twelve months following his or her resignation, removal or retirement from the office of Commission, hold any office or employment or act as a consultant where he or she may be liable to use or disclose information acquired by him or her in the exercise of the functions of the Commission.
9. Subject to this Act, the Commission shall be independent in the performance of its functions.
10. The Commission may, subject to the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance, appoint such and so many persons to be members of its staff as it considers necessary to assist it in the performance of its functions on such terms and conditions including terms and conditions as to remuneration and grading as may be agreed.
11. The Commission may perform such of its functions as it may deem proper through or by any member of its staff.
12. The Commission shall designate a member of its staff as deputy member of the Commission who shall assume and carry out with the authority of the Commission all of the functions of the Commission in the absence of the members or when the membership of the Commission is vacant.
13. The Minister may make available to the Commission, on a request being made by the Commission, such staff, premises, equipment, services and other resources as the Minister may determine from time to time in consultation with the Minister for Finance.
14. Members of the staff of the Minister whose services are afforded to the Commission by secondment shall remain civil servants of the Minister and in any particular case a period of assignment on secondment to the Commission shall not exceed two years.
15. The Commission shall pay to the Minister such sum or sums as the Minister may specify to be the expenses incurred by the Minister in establishing the office of Commission and in making available to the Commission such staff, premises, equipment, services and other resources under paragraph 13.
16. For the purpose of meeting expenses properly incurred by the Commission in the discharge of its functions under this Act, the Commission may make an order (in this Act referred to as a “levy order”) imposing a levy to be paid each year on such classes of electricity undertakings as may be specified by the Commission in the order.
17. Whenever a levy order is made under paragraph 16 there shall be paid to the Commission by an electricity undertaking which belongs to a class of electricity undertaking specified in the order such amount as shall be appropriate having regard to the terms of the levy order.
18. A levy order made under paragraph 16 may be amended or revoked by the Commission by order.
19. An amendment to a levy order made under paragraph 16 which provides for an increase in the levy may only take effect in the year after the year in which the amendment is made.
20. Any excess of the revenue of the Commission over its expenditure in any year shall be applied by the Commission to meet its expenses.
21. The Minister may from time to time, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, advance to the Commission out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas such sums as the Minister may determine for the purposes of expenditure by the Commission in the performance of its functions.
22. The sums to be advanced under paragraph 21 shall be expended solely for the purpose and exercise of the functions conferred on the Commission by this Act.
23. The Commission shall pay to the Minister on every sum advanced to the Commission under this Act interest from the date of the advance of such sum until the same is repaid at such rate and in such manner as shall be appointed by the Minister at the time of the advance and at such rate as may be determined from time to time and such rate of interest shall not at any time exceed that fixed by an order under section 20 of the Courts Act, 1981.
24. The Commission may, for the purpose of the performance of its functions, borrow money, but shall not do so without the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance.
25. The Commission shall—
(a) keep in such form as may be approved by the Minister, with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, all proper and usual accounts of all moneys received or expended by it including an income and expenditure account and balance sheet,
(b) submit accounts kept under subparagraph (a) in respect of each year to the Comptroller and Auditor General for audit and those accounts when so audited, shall, together with the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon, be presented within six months of the end of the financial year, to the Minister, who shall cause copies of the accounts and report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas, and
(c) within the first three months of each year make a report to the Minister in relation to the performance of its functions in the previous year and its proposed work programme for the following year and the Minister shall cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable.
26. From time to time, and whenever so requested, the Commission shall account for the performance of its functions to a Joint Committee of the Oireachtas and shall have regard to any recommendations of such Joint Committee relevant to its functions.
27. The Commission may from time to time engage such consultants or advisers as it may consider necessary to assist it in the discharges of its functions and any fees due to a consultant or adviser engaged under this paragraph shall form part of the expenses of the Commission.
28. No action or other proceedings shall lie or be maintainable (except in the case of wilful neglect or default) against any member of the Commission arising from a failure to perform or to comply with any of the functions conferred on the Commission by this Act.
29. Where the Commission is satisfied that any member of the staff of the Commission or authorised person appointed by the Commission has discharged his or her duties in a bona fide manner, the Commission shall indemnify the member of staff or authorised person against all actions or claims howsoever arising in respect of the discharge by him or her of his or her duties.
30. (a) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, make a scheme or schemes for the granting of superannuation benefits to or in respect of a member of the Commission ceasing to hold office or for the making of contributions to a pension scheme approved of by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance which has been entered into by a member of the Commission.
(b) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, make a scheme amending or revoking a scheme under this paragraph, including a scheme under this subparagraph.
(c) If any dispute arises as to the claim of a member of the Commission to, or the amount of, any pension, gratuity or other allowance payable in pursuance of a scheme under this paragraph, such dispute shall be submitted to the Minister who shall refer it to the Minister for Finance for determination by him or her.
(d) A scheme under this paragraph shall be carried out by the Minister in accordance with its terms.
(e) No pension, gratuity or other allowance shall be granted by the Minister to or in respect of any person referred to in subparagraph (a) ceasing to hold office otherwise than in accordance with a scheme under this paragraph or as otherwise may be approved of by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.
31. The Commission may prepare and submit to the Minister a scheme or schemes or may make such other arrangements with the approval of the Minister given with the consent of the Minister for Finance, for the granting of superannuation benefits to or in respect of such members of staff of the Commission, including a member appointed as a deputy member of the Commission in accordance with paragraph 12, as he or she may think fit.
32. Every scheme made under paragraph 30 or 31 shall fix the time and conditions of retirement for all persons to or in respect of whom superannuation benefits are payable under the scheme, and different times and conditions may be fixed in respect of different classes of persons.
33. Every scheme made under paragraph 31 may with the consent of the Minister for Finance be amended or revoked by a subsequent scheme prepared, submitted and approved under paragraph 31.
34. A scheme made under paragraph 31 submitted by the Commission to the Minister shall, if approved by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, be carried out by the Commission in accordance with its terms.
35. No superannuation benefits shall be granted by the Commission nor shall any other arrangements be entered into by the Commission for the provision of such a benefit to or in respect of a member of the staff of the Commission otherwise than in accordance with a scheme under paragraph 31 or otherwise as may be approved of by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance.
36. If any dispute arises as to the claim of any person to, or the amount of any superannuation benefit payable in pursuance of a scheme or schemes under paragraph 30 or 31, such dispute shall be submitted to the Minister who shall refer it to the Minister for Finance, for determination by him or her.
37. As soon as may be the Commission shall establish a fund administered by trustees who shall be appointed by the Commission from which superannuation benefits payable in respect of a member of the staff of the Commission ceasing to hold office, under a scheme under paragraph 31 shall be paid.
38. A scheme under paragraph 30 or 31 shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister, in the case of a scheme under paragraph 30, or by the Commission, in the case of a scheme under paragraph 31, as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the scheme is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the scheme is laid before it, the scheme shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.
39. Where a member of the Commission is—
(a) nominated as a member of Seanad éireann, or
(b) nominated to stand as a candidate for election as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to the European Parliament, or
(c) regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy,
the member shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Commission.
40. Where a person employed by the Commission—
(a) is nominated as a member of Seanad éireann, or
(b) is elected as a member of either House of the Oireachtas or to the European Parliament, or
(c) is regarded pursuant to Part XIII of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997, as having been elected to the European Parliament to fill a vacancy,
he or she shall thereupon stand seconded from his or her employment by the Commission and shall not be paid by, or be entitled to receive from, the Commission remuneration or allowances in respect of the period commencing on such nomination or election, or when he or she is so regarded as having been elected, as the case may be, and ending when he or she ceases to be a member of either such House or such Parliament.
41. A person who is, for the time being, entitled under the Standing Orders of either House of the Oireachtas to sit therein or who is a member of the European Parliament shall, while he or she is so entitled or is such a member, be disqualified from becoming a member of, or a member of the staff of the Commission.
42. Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 40 that paragraph shall be construed as prohibiting, among other things the reckoning of a period mentioned in that paragraph as service with the Commission for the purposes of any superannuation benefits.
43. In this Schedule—
“expenses” means outgoings of the Commission to include the remuneration of the Commission and its staff, any expenditure incurred by the Commission or its staff in consequence of the carrying out of the functions of the Commission, payments to the Minister under this Act and repayment of any advance or interest or any advance made by the Minister under this Act;
“superannuation benefits” means pensions, gratuities and other allowances payable on resignation, retirement or death.