Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport the estimated energy use of her Department in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the total cost of that energy use in each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44945/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The total expenditure in respect of energy use within my Department since 2008 is broken down by each of the current three Departmental sites and is as follows: 1. Departmental HQ, Killarney, Co. Kerry

2. Departmental HQ, Kildare St. Dublin 2

3. National Archives of Ireland, Bishop St, Dublin 2

It should be noted that the energy expenditure in respect of the Kildare St. office is that proportion assigned to my Department by agreement with the building management in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The electricity expenditure for 2010 includes a large component cost (€46,612) in respect of electricity usage in 2006 and 2007, which has been reconciled in the current year. In 2008, the Department also incurred electricity costs amounting to €11,974 in respect of its occupation of Department of Foreign Affairs office space in Frederick Buildings, Dublin 2.

The new Departmental HQ offices in Killarney were occupied in early December 2008. Such costs as were incurred at the end of 2008 are included in the 2009 data. Since then, the office has been proactive in achieving the lowest possible costs in respect of electricity and has recently procured a new service provision in that regard. My Department has also utilised new technology to help reduce energy consumption particularly in the area of IT and is taking further steps in this regard.

Regarding the National Archives, I am pleased to mention that at the "Optimising Power @ Work" awards ceremony hosted by the Office of Public Works recently, the National Archives Energy Team was one of six teams that were selected as winners of the 'Best Energy Team' awards. Since beginning its particular energy efficiency project in 2008, the Archives have achieved a 27.8% saving in CO2 Emissions. In monetary terms, this represents a saving of just under €42,000 between January 2009 and May 2010 with further savings anticipated in 2011.