Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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562. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific measures taken in her Departmental offices and operations in reducing energy usage and to assist in Ireland meeting our climate targets for 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23316/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to its obligations under the Climate Action Plan and the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025. As part of the SEAI Partnership Programme my Department has made significant progress in reducing our energy usage, provisional results from the SEAI indicate that we have attained our 2030 target of a 50% reduction.

Measures taken by my Department include; participation in the Optimising Power at Work Scheme, which provides monthly reports and advice on our energy usage across our large offices; upgrades to building interiors, including insulation and lighting upgrades; constant streamlining of our gas and electricity usage by our facility managers; and regular communication with staff on energy saving methods through our Green Teams and involvement in the Reduce Your Use campaign.