Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 539: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount his Department paid in 2006 for car mileage expenses; the amount paid to cover rail and bus ticket expenses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9776/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). Under Vote 28, the Department of Foreign Affairs, in 2006, paid mileage expenses of €268,882 and €132,922 to cover rail and bus ticket expenses. Expenditure under Vote 29 for the same period on car mileage expenses was €24,121 and on bus and rail expenses was €1,344. These amounts represent all mileage and bus / rail fares paid both at Headquarters and at our 76 Missions outside of the State.

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 540: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost of energy used running his Department in the year 2002; the cost of doing so in 2006; the quantity of energy used in each of these years to which this cost relates; and his plans to reduce this usage as a contribution to meeting concerns regarding climate change. [9825/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On the basis of the information collated in the time available, it is estimated that my Department spent approximately €300,000 in 2002 on energy costs relating to office accommodation within the State.

In 2006, the estimated expenditure on energy costs for office accommodation within the State was €600,000 approximately. However, it should be noted that this figure includes energy costs of €144,000 in respect of the Passport Office premises in Balbriggan, a relatively new facility that was not operational in 2002.

In 2002, the total expenditure on energy for properties of Irish diplomatic missions abroad was €718,300. In 2006, the total expenditure on energy abroad was €954,000, although the number of our missions would have increased in the intervening period.

The Department keeps its expenditure on energy under constant review and, with a view to complying with best practice in the area of energy conservation, participates with other Government Departments in an energy users group under the direction of the Office of Public Works.