Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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137. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps being taken by way of energy conservation measures in homes and businesses throughout the country with particular reference to the need for compliance with carbon reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52399/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) is the overarching policy framework for energy efficiency in Ireland. Reducing energy consumption remains the most cost-effective means of reducing Green House Gases and one of the primary means of achieving Ireland’s climate change objectives. The NEEAP acts to underpin and extend the energy-related actions contained within the existing Climate Change strategy. NEEAP reaffirms Ireland’s commitment to a 20% energy savings target across the economy by 2020. This is equivalent to 31,925 Gigawatt hours (GWh) or a reduction in annual CO2 emissions of around 7.7 Mega tonnes (Mt). Recognising that Government must lead by example, the Government is committed to achieving a 33% reduction in public sector energy use by 2020. The second Action Plan identifies realisable but ambitious actions across six areas: Public Sector, Residential, Business, Transport, Energy Supply, and Cross-Sectoral. The Plan contains 97 actions, each of which will play a part in securing a more sustainable energy future for Ireland.

The anticipated energy and CO2 savings are distributed as follows:

Energy savings (GWh) CO2 (kt CO2

Government supports alone are unlikely to ensure that we fully achieve our energy saving targets by 2020 and a strong commitment from all sectors is imperative. NEEAP2 emphasised the role of market actors in facilitating the delivery of energy savings, with the introduction of energy saving targets for energy suppliers a key measure underpinning the delivery of the 2020 target.

Should all measures detailed in the NEEAP reach their full potential by 2020 it is estimated that a potential reduction in energy spend across all sectors of approximately €2.36 billion (at 2011 prices) would be realised.