Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total spend by his Department on carbon offsets for official travel undertaken by him and his Ministers of State for 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; to whom this money, if any, has been awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30279/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government and the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 gave a commitment to introduce a voluntary scheme to offset greenhouse gas emissions from official air travel by Ministers and civil servants. The scheme became operational in 2009 and retrospectively accounted for all official air travel since the Government came into office in June 2007.

A gross figure only is available for offsetting emissions associated with official air travel by myself, the Ministers of State and officials in my Department for the period of the scheme up to the end of 2008. This total was €7,629.78.

In 2009, emissions associated with official air travel by myself and Minister of State Finneran resulted in a payment to the offsetting fund of €54.56 and €25.12, respectively.

No payments have been made so far in respect of 2010.

The value of the total offsetting costs in each year is invested by Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) in the purchase of Gold Standard Voluntary Emissions Reductions (GS VERs). In purchasing GS VERs, REEEP has been asked to focus on Ireland's priority Overseas Development Aid countries in Africa.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total cost of travel and subsistence to public servants in his Department arising from travel to meetings or events in Dublin and Brussels from offices that have been decentralised for 2010 to date, for 2009, and for 2008; if he will state to whom this money, if any, has been awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30294/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The total cost of travel and subsistence incurred by staff travelling between the Department's offices in Wexford and Dublin during 2008 and 2009 is set out in the following table. The staff referred to were those based in temporary office accommodation in Wexford pending the opening of the Department's new offices, which took place in March 2010. Expenditure for travel to date in 2010 is not yet available.

Details of costs for staff travelling to Dublin from the Department's decentralised offices in Ballina for meetings and events are not readily available, nor are costs for travel and subsistence associated with travel to Brussels from either Wexford or Ballina.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 327: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total spend of his Department on public advertisements in national and local print media, radio and television for 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30309/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The information sought is set out in the following table.

My Department carries out a number of advertising campaigns relevant to its remit, in order to promote awareness and behaviour change. In addition to such campaigns, my Department routinely advertises in newspapers and on radio for various statutory and public information purposes. Expenditure is spread across the whole media spectrum including Iris Oifigiúil, television, local radio, national and provincial papers, and other local publications.

The figure for 2009 includes expenditure of some €1.3 million relating to the National Climate Change Awareness Campaign.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the projects that are being financed by his Department in 2010 in the Waterford constituency; the amount of money involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30326/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The information requested is set out in the following table.

1. In the case of both Capital Grants and Landfill Remediation grants, approval for expenditure is not given on an annual basis; it is given at the start of the project and may be drawn down over a number of years. Therefore, the expenditure figure for 2010 indicates that the local authority have approval to draw down this amount; however, it is possible that it may not be incurred in total in 2010.

2. Estimated total cost of scheme. The total value of contracts underway and those proposed for commencement during the period of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 in Waterford is €139.095 million.