Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the local authorities who have put in place an energy efficiency plan to date in 2009; the action he will take with regard to local authorities who do not have a plan in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36594/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Government has set a target of achieving 20% energy efficiency savings across the economy in 2020. Recognising the opportunity for the public sector to fulfil an exemplary role in this context, we have set a further, ambitious target of achieving 33% savings on energy use across this sector, also in 2020. On 8 May this year I published the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) which sets out 90 actions that Government are either already taking or will take in the period to 2020 to achieve our energy efficiency targets. Importantly, the NEEAP contains a list of specific actions designed to improve the energy efficiency of the public sector.

Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is currently rolling out a programme which will assist the Public Sector, including local authorities, in achieving its targets, whilst demonstrating to the wider community the benefits of energy efficiency. This will be achieved through a mix of financial support, advice, assessments and training, best practice dissemination and group supports. SEI will support our public sector institutions in identifying possible energy efficient measures to be undertaken and provide guidance on drafting individual energy efficiency action plans. Central to this work will be the reporting by public sector bodies of actions taken to reduce energy usage. Given the inter-relation between the energy efficiency and climate change agendas, my Department will forge close links with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order to minimise the administrative burden on public sector bodies.

I will soon convene a high-level Public Sector Energy Efficiency Working Group, comprising representatives of all key public sector institutions, including of course, the local authorities. This Group will oversee the implementation of the public sector energy efficiency agenda.