Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures being taken by his Department and its agencies to reduce their carbon footprint in 2007/2008. [9444/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department promotes energy conservation measures on an ongoing basis. It is participating in the recently launched Optimising Power @ Work, Staff Energy Awareness Campaign being led by the Office of Public Works. This campaign, which will begin in the Department this month, aims to achieve a minimum of 15% reduction in total annual carbon dioxide emissions through an intensive staff energy awareness initiative promoting efficiency in respect of all energy consuming processes.

The Department's current 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 (double-sided copying) facilities.

It is also the policy of the Department to put measures in place for the prevention and reduction in the amount of waste generated and to maximise opportunities for the re-use and recycling of waste arising. Contracts are in place for the collection and recycling of paper and cardboard packaging from my Department's main offices.

In relation to redundant electronic IT equipment, the Department arranges for the reuse of suitable equipment and, where this is not possible, avails of the take back facilities under the WEEE Regulations for the dismantling and recycling of such equipment.

Since the beginning of 2006, carbon emissions have been taken into account in vehicle purchases made by the Department. In order to take account of the wider availability of new technologies, the Department, at my request, is currently preparing a policy on the purchase of official vehicles, to ensure that environmental considerations are taken fully into account as official vehicles are replaced, which is normally done at four year intervals.

I fully support the commitment in the current Programme for Government to 'Require carbon offsetting of all official air travel in support of urban forests'. I understand that my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, will announce details of a scheme for use by all Government Departments and bodies under their aegis which will address this commitment. Once the details are announced, the new scheme will be appropriately implemented by the Department.