Vol. 485 No. 3
86 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the functions and the constitution of the Energy Advisory Board; and the role, if any, there is for consumer groups, environmental interests groups and non-Governmental organisations in relation to this body. [23363/97]
The Energy Advisory Board is a non-statutory advisory committee of technical experts in the energy conservation field who were nominated by their respective organisations for appointment. It is charged with advising me on matters relating to energy efficiency, renewable energy and related research.
The board provides a forum for the energy utilities and the social partners to consider and put forward policy advice to me. The Chairman and Secretary are officials of my Department. The other board members are nominees of the ESB, Bord na Móna, Bord Gáis Éireann, Irish National Petroleum Corporation, the Office of Public Works, IBEC, ICTU, the Irish Energy Centre and my personal representative to represent the general body of energy consumers.
