Vol. 537 No. 2
168 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the energy costs incurred by his Department each year for the past three years in each of the energy sectors respectively; the use made of renewable energy; his further plans regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15854/01]
The energy costs of my Department charged to the Vote for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development were: 1998, £792; 1999, £1,199; 2000, £957.
These costs arose mainly in respect of payments to the Electricity Supply Board. The electricity bills presented to my Department do not show the renewable energy element of the overall costs. As the Deputy may be aware, my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Deputy Jacob, recently announced a programme aimed at increasing substantially the use made of renewable energy.
