Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 525: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the incentives and supports in place or planned to support and to encourage new and existing hotels to minimise environmental impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10235/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The importance of high environmental standards is well recognised within the Irish tourism sector. Fáilte Ireland has established an environment section as part of its Policy Unit to provide advice and guidance on the protection of sensitive and vulnerable environmental resources, which are important for the continued health and quality of the tourism sector. A number of initiatives have been introduced by my Department that can assist the hotel industry to reduce its impact on the environment. These measures also contribute to enhancing the industry's competitiveness through encouraging more efficient use of resources and raising the attractiveness of Irish hotels to an increasingly environment conscious clientele.

The more rigorous building regulations that I have introduced will mean that new hotels will be built to more stringent environmental and insulation standards. This will increase environmental performance and reduce operating costs through more efficient use of energy and water. As part of the Race Against Waste campaign, my Department worked closely with the tourism sector to improve its waste management practices. The Environmental Protection Agency has also worked closely with the Irish Hospitality Institute in managing the Greening Irish Hotels Programme, which focused on waste prevention in the sector.

In 2007, my Department launched a public awareness campaign on biodiversity called 'Notice Nature'. As part of this campaign, guidelines for the protection of biodiversity in the wider tourism sector were developed in co-operation with Fáilte Ireland. These guidelines are aimed at raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity and promoting good practice to support its conservation within the tourism sector. Similarly, tourism is a key sector being targeted as part of the Government's Climate Change Communications and Public Awareness Campaign. The Change Campaign will work in partnership with tourism interests and representative bodies to address emissions of greenhouse gases in the sector.

In addition, my Department is in discussion with Fáilte Ireland, the National Standards Authority of Ireland and the European Commission in regard to encouraging an increased level of engagement by Irish hotels in the European Eco-label programme, which awards qualifying hotels with an internationally recognised environmental quality mark.