Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [12789/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department is committed under its Environment Policy Statement to continuous improvement in the environmental performance of its in-house practices, policies and programmes. The ISO 14001 Environmental Management System for my Department's headquarters in the Customs House contains objectives and initiatives aimed at reducing the consumption of resources, including paper. Implementation of these is monitored and independently audited.

Actions taken to reduce the level of printed correspondence, communications, reports and other documents include the following:Staff have been urged to reduce the use of paper within the office. Photocopiers purchased must be capable of printing double-sided copies. Staff are encouraged to use double-sided printing and photocopying and to limit print-runs. Key documents, such as the Department's Annual Report and Statement of Strategy, are produced in electronic format only, i.e. CD and posted on the website.Considerable information is published on the Department's website and intranet rather than in hard copy. A significant amount of the Department's day-to-day business is conduced electronically through e-mail and the use and transfer of documents in electronic format. The continued development of online services, such as Online Motor Tax and the Department's archaeological website, has provided services and access to data electronically to the public and reduced levels of printed correspondence.Electronic document management systems are being extended to business units. The Department's circular letters are made available to local authorities electronically.