Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the percentage energy saving that has occurred in his Department and in all agencies for which his Department has responsibility in 2007; the way this compares to 2004, 2005 and 2006; the amount he expects to save in energy usage in percentage terms in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35599/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The vast majority of energy consumption occurs at my Department's largest accommodation sites:

29/31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2,

Leeson Lane, Dublin 2,

Tom Johnson House, Beggars Bush, Haddington Road

Elm House Cavan

Electricity is supplied to each of the three Dublin premises by Energia and the heating is powered by natural gas supplied by Bord Gáis.

There has been a cumulative reduction of 29% in the overall amount of natural gas consumed in my Department in these three premises since 2004.

There has also been steady decrease (cumulative almost 6%) in the amount of electricity consumed in the two main buildings occupied by my department in Dublin over the period in question. I have arranged for usage details for both Electricity and Gas for the Dublin buildings to be sent to the Deputy.

Elm House has only been occupied by staff from my Department since October 2006 and the Department's presence there is being built up on a phased basis. There is no comparative data available for that premises.

I have asked to OPW to do a full energy audit of our head office in Adelaide Road and the offices on Leeson Lane with the intention of undertaking a major upgrade of the buildings as demonstration projects for what can be achieved in energy efficiency gains.