6. —Section 9 of the Act of 1999 is amended on the appointed day—

(a) in subsection (1), by the substitution for paragraph (e) of the following paragraph:

“(e) to advise the Minister on the development of the electricity and gas industries, as appropriate, and on the exercise of the functions of the Minister under this Act.”,

(b) by the substitution for subsection (3) of the following subsection:

“(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) in relation to electricity, does not discriminate unfairly between holders of licences, authorisations and the Board or between applicants for authorisations or licences,

(b) in relation to gas, does not discriminate unfairly between holders of licences, consents and Bord Gáis Éireann or between applicants for consents or licences, and

(c) the Minister or the Commission, as the case may be, considers protects the interests of final customers of electricity or gas or both, as the case may be.”,

and

(c) in subsection (4)—

(i) by the substitution for paragraph (a) of the following paragraph:

“(a) to promote competition in the generation and supply of electricity and in the supply of natural gas in accordance with this Act;”,

and

(ii) by the substitution for paragraphs (d) to (f) of the following paragraphs:

“(d) to promote safety and efficiency on the part of electricity and natural gas undertakings;

(e) to promote the continuity, security and quality of supplies of electricity;

(f) to promote the use of renewable, sustainable or alternative forms of energy;

(g) to secure that there is sufficient capacity in the natural gas system to enable reasonable expectations of demand to be met; and

(h) to secure the continuity, security and quality of supplies of natural gas.”.