Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the works or measures that have taken place in 2007 to make her Departmental buildings more environmentally friendly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32387/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Earlier this year the heating of my Department's office in Johnstown Castle in Wexford was switched over to a Woodchip boiler. Following a survey carried out by the Office of Public Works it has been decided to install biofuel heating systems in the following Offices of my Department; Ballina AES Office, Cavan Regional Office, Castlebar Office, Ennis Local Office, Enniscorthy Local Office, Longford Local Office, Mullingar Local Office and Nenagh Local Office. It is envisaged that the Office of Public Works will have these heating systems installed early next year.

Building Management Systems have been installed in recent years at all Department Offices (including Agriculture House) with a floor area greater than 1,000 sq meters. These systems are set up to avail of off peak/low rate electricity where possible. They also control use of electricity, gas and oil in all such Offices and centrally controls temperature in these Offices.

High efficiency fluorescent lighting is in place in all DAFF Offices. This lighting is considered by the OPW to be five times more energy efficient than conventional lighting. In more recently built and refurbished Department Offices lighting control systems have been installed which automatically switch off lighting in Office areas that are unoccupied. During 2007, the Department has continued its desktop computer upgrade programme, which involves the replacement of older models of computer with more environmentally friendly models resulting in reduced demand for electrical power.