Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this important and interesting issue. The national energy efficiency action plan sets a public sector energy efficient target of a 33% reduction of energy usage to be achieved by 2020. The HSE is working to comply with the Government's green procurement guidelines, which require public bodies to ensure that a minimum building energy rating of B3 is achieved in all newly built and leased buildings from January 2012 and a minimum rating of A3 from January 2015.

A national programme for installing a combined heat and power, CHP, plant was initiated in the mid-1990s. Given the advances in technology a number of these older plants have been removed. However, a number of CHP evaluation processes are under way. These include University Hospital Galway, St. Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny and Cork University Hospital.

The HSE policy on energy saving is guided by a number of programmes. In conjunction with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, the HSE runs the energy management action plan and has rolled it out on in its larger campuses. It is also working with some of the major acute voluntary hospitals. The first stage of this programme is now completed.

In conjunction with the OPW, the HSE is also implementing a monitoring and reporting programme. Three large administration campuses have been identified as pilot sites. The installation of monitoring equipment on these three campuses is now completed and the energy awareness programme is scheduled to commence in mid-June 2014. Discussions are also under way with a large acute hospital. These pilot programmes will identify energy saving projects which may include combined heat and power installations.

The HSE is also participating in the national energy services framework which was published in December 2013 by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It provides for public sector and commercial organisations, a standard and structured approach to support the efficient procurement and delivery of energy efficiency projects on the ground. In June 2013, the Minister with responsibility for energy announced the first tranche of exemplar energy efficiency projects to be supported by the SEAI under the Action Plan for Jobs.

The HSE is committed to the increasing its energy savings and is planning to deliver savings in future years and I have set out the broad context in which the HSE is approaching this important area. I note the specific issues raised by Deputy Stanton in respect of converting to combined heat and power plants. I bow to his superior knowledge which he clearly elaborated for the House this afternoon. Any innovative ideas a Deputy brings to the House deserve to be considered and examined. If there is further detail the Deputy wishes me or the Minister to look at in respect of this we will certainly do so.

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