Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Defence if his Department has a strategy to reduce the level of printed correspondence, communications, reports and other documents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12786/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department makes a conscious effort to reduce the amount of printed documents that it creates and/or circulates, consistent with good business practice.

The number of printed copies of corporate documents (e.g. Annual Report, Strategy Statement, Customer Service Action Plan, Annual Output Statement) is kept to a minimum and all corporate documents are now available on my Department's website. The majority of payroll, pension payments and expenses are now paid electronically with consequent savings in stationery costs, postage and staff time. The introduction of a system of on-line payslips for civil servants has further reduced paper usage.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and electronic remittance advice is used for making and notifying payments to suppliers. This produces savings in stationery costs and staff time. The Department's Intranet is used to publish a variety of documents e.g. information on recruitment and promotion competitions, health and safety and general human resource and staff welfare issues. The Intranet also provides an electronic repository of a wide range of standard Civil Service policy documents and guidelines. My Department will continue to seek out further opportunities for reducing the amount of printed documentation that it produces.