Written answers

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Department of Foreign Affairs

Energy Resources

8:00 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of energy saving measures which have been introduced and implemented in his Department and departmental offices since he took office. [10295/08]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department promotes energy saving 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. In addition, the Department already uses a number of energy saving devices such as energy efficient lights, power save function on electrical office equipment and photocopiers with duplex (double-sided copying) facilities.

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.

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