Vol. 465 No. 3
235 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the cost of establishing the Irish Energy Centre; the number of new staff recruited; and the number of staff who came from other civil service Departments. [9499/96]
236 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the concerns, if any, he has that the Irish Energy Centre, which was established with EU funding, may be competing with the Energy Section of the ESB which spends £8 million every year on energy savings schemes, promotion and advertising. [9500/96]
237 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the positive steps, if any, that are being taken for the Energy Centre to become self-financing. [9501/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236 and 237 together. The Irish Energy Centre is a joint initiative of my Department and Forbairt, and was established under the Economic Infrastructure Operational Programme, 1994-1999, to co-ordinate and deliver a range of energy conservation and efficiency measures, including the administration of a number of grant schemes. The budget for the centre, over the Operational Programme period, is £21 million approximately and is made up of Exchequer and European regional development fund moneys. The centre was built around the former energy programme structure and staffing in Forbairt, and eight additional staff have been hired on contract for the duration of the Operational Programme.
