Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 946: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [9823/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 948: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the heating or lighting conservation measures he or his Department have applied to Government Departmental offices or buildings throughout the country; the extent to which electricity usage has dropped on foot of such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9839/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 946 and 948 together.

As I indicated in reply to Question No. 89 of 27 February, 2007, my Department is fully committed to the effective management of our consumption of energy resources. This is a critical element of our ongoing accreditation to ISO 14001 which we achieved for our headquarters offices in 2003. We are working towards achieving this certification for all our offices.

My Department's policy is to use a number of energy saving devices such as energy efficient lights, powersave function on electrical office equipment and photocopiers with duplex facilities. This has led to energy consumption in the Department's headquarters decreasing from 982,000 kilo Watt hours in 2003 to just over 948,000 kilo Watt hours in 2005. Details regarding the cost and quantity of energy used in my Department's main offices in 2006 are being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputies shortly. The information sought in relation to 2002 is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.

My Department continues to promote energy conservation measures within the Department, including relevant measures set out in the recently launched "Power of One" campaign. The possibility of introducing further measures to reduce energy consumption is being taken up by my Department with the Office of Public Works who provide maintenance services to the Department's offices.

Ambitious targets for renewable energy in the electricity, transport and heating sectors are contained in the Government's recently published White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland. The White Paper proposes that one third of electricity consumed in this economy will come from renewable sources by 2020. In this regard, my Department is already committed to obtaining its electricity from renewable sources and, following a tender process, under the auspices of the Office of Public Works, a contract is now in place with Energia for the supply of electricity from renewable sources to the Department's main offices. In addition, my Department is converting its entire fleet of 153 vehicles of the National Parks and Wildlife Service to use biodiesel by end 2007, which will give effect to the requirement in the White Paper for the use of bio-fuels in State owned and public transport vehicles.

Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the bulk of my Department's Dublin based operations are being decentralised to four locations in the South East. In collaboration with the OPW, my Department has set very high environmental specifications for its decentralised offices. It is intended that the new offices will incorporate many of the latest developments in sustainable construction, energy conservation and use of renewable energy sources.