Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of waste in weight generated by his Department in 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007 in tabular readable form. [32695/07]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the percentage of waste in 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007 that was recycled in tabular readable form. [32710/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.

My Department uses various waste disposal contractors to recycle a significant proportion of its waste, including cardboard boxes, paper materials and toner cartridges. To facilitate this, recycle bins are located in the offices and corridors of the buildings occupied by the Department and staff are encouraged to use them to dispose of paper products, drink cans, plastic bottles and cartons.

The different forms of invoicing arrangements and supporting data provided by the twelve waste contractors used by my Department prevent it from providing the detailed information sought by the Deputy in respect of weight or percentages over the period in question. However, I can advise him that, in 2007 to date, some 70% of waste paper generated by the Department has been recycled.