Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Taoiseach the progress his Department has made in achieving this 33% target of energy efficiency in the public sector; if energy use in buildings under the responsibility of his Department is being monitored; if so, the person by whom it is monitored; the recent trends; if buildings under the responsibility of his Department are being retrofitted to improve energy efficiency; if there are capital budgets for energy efficiency measures in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13130/08]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department relies on the Office of Public Works (OPW) for the provision of accommodation including maintenance and refurbishment which includes the provision of efficient heating and lighting in offices. This Department endeavours to operate heating and lighting systems in the most efficient manner.

The OPW has an energy awareness programme underway in all large buildings, State Buildings, including those occupied by this Department. Based on an advanced pilot programme completed last year, this is expected to achieve 15% savings on an annual basis. This energy reduction programme is the first step in achieving the 2020 target of 33%.

At present, the OPW is, in conjunction with my Department, devising an energy awareness programme appropriate to the Department's needs. It will be several months before any quantifiable progress will be evident. It is expected that considerable progress will be made in the next heating season beginning next September 2008.

An essential part of the energy reduction plan is to monitor energy usage. The OPW provides a monitoring service to my Department using a web based logging system which has been installed in advance of the energy awareness programme in the targeted State buildings.

For the present, there is no OPW programme to undertake refurbishment work solely on the basis of energy conservation. Such a programme may be necessary in the future. However, where refurbishment is necessary or planned at present, energy saving will be considered in the designs and any reasonable or economic improvements shall be incorporated in the designs.

There is no capital budget for energy efficiency measures in this Department and under the Department of Finance guidelines, such a budget is appropriate to the Office of Public Works.

The Personnel Officer in my Department is the person currently responsible for the energy awareness/conservation programme.