55. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures his Department hopes to introduce as part of the budget to reduce energy costs for businesses. [65852/26]

As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of upcoming budget discussions.

However, addressing energy affordability is a priority for me and for this Government. In June of last year, my Department established the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT), which I chair, to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses while delivering key renewables commitments, and protecting security of supply and economic stability.

The NEAT continues to work intensively on an Energy Affordability Action Plan to be submitted to Government in the coming weeks. Publication of the Action Plan will follow approval by Government. This Action Plan is focused on short, medium and longer term measures to support households and businesses in meeting their energy costs and will be built around 4 key pillars:

• addressing the price of energy;

• sustainable demand and enhancing flexibility;

• addressing energy poverty and customer protections; and

• energy affordability for businesses.

To facilitate this robust and coordinated cross-Government response, a number of NEAT subgroups, including one on energy affordability for business, have been established. The business subgroup brings together officials from a wide range of Government Departments and Agencies. A period of intensive engagement to refine options for consideration by the Taskforce has concluded with each of the subgroups meeting intensively over the past months.

This work has been supported by structured engagement with relevant external stakeholders. This included a targeted stakeholder consultation session with business representative organisations on 9 June. Organisations represented included IBEC, ISME, Failte Ireland, Ireland Electrified, and Chambers Ireland.