Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of energy consumed in his Department and in all agencies for which his Department has responsibility that comes from renewable sources. [33284/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Energia supply the electricity requirements for my Department and agencies. Some 27 offices of my Department, including all headquarter offices, are supplied by Energia with the remaining 108 offices, together with agencies of my Department, being supplied by the Electricity Supply Board.

It is not possible to identify explicitly the generation sources for this electricity. I am advised, however, that for the year ended 2006, ESB owned or contracted in 296 MW of renewable generation capacity which represented 29% of all renewable electricity generation in the State at that time. Likewise Energia has renewable generation capacity. It would be reasonable to conclude that some of this electricity generated from renewable sources was provided to my Department.