Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 544: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there is an updated version of the "Green Government Guide — Promoting Environmental Management and Practice in Government", published by a previous Government; the steps taken to promote, and the progress made towards, environmental management and practice in Government at national and local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26383/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Green Government Guide — Promoting Environmental Management in Practice was published and issued to all Departments in August 1996. The guide encourages Departments to promote good environmental practice and to integrate environmental considerations into their operations.

The action at work programme, launched in February 2005 as part of the Race Against Waste campaign, aims to improve environmental management, in particular waste management, in public sector bodies and other large organisations. The action at work documentation, along with the seminars which are taking place throughout the country, provide practical assistance to public sector and other organisations on how they can improve their waste management systems. Earlier this year I wrote to all Departments asking for their support in implementing action at work both in the Departments themselves and in their related agencies. Further activities aimed at improving environmental performance in public bodies are being developed as part of the current phase of the race against waste campaign.

My Department has operated an environmental management system, accredited to ISO 14001 standard, for its Custom House headquarters since 2003. Plans are being developed to extend ISO 14001 certification to other departmental buildings as appropriate.