Energy Conservation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 November 2012

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Questions (198)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

198. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of cuts in local government funding, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that voluntary initiatives show that savings of at least 20%, or €23 million per year, could be made in the energy costs of local authorities, which are estimated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland at €115 million per year; his views that such savings should be made urgently in major cost areas such as waste water treatment, public lighting, local authority buildings and transport efficiencies, by requiring all local authorities to participate in targeted energy efficiency programmes to make these cuts that do not hurt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50317/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The European Communities (Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services) Regulations 2009 transposed Directive 2006/32/EC into Irish Law. Part 4 of the Regulations outlines a number of obligations relevant to individual public bodies (including local authorities) in relation to improving their performance with regard to energy efficiency. In this context, Ireland’s National Energy Efficiency Action Plan in 2009 included a commitment that the public sector would aim to achieve a 33% improvement in its energy efficiency performance by 2020.

Directive 2006/32/EC and a number of related Directives have recently be en recast by the European Commission in the form of the new Energy Efficiency Directive which has recently been adopted . While responsibility for transposition of the new Directive into Irish Law will be a matter for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources it is expected that the public sector commitment to achieve a 33% improvement in its energy efficiency performance by 2020 will stand.

All public bodies, including local authorities, are responsible for devising and implementing their own plans as necessary to meet their shared obligations towards achieving the 2020 target. A network of local energy agencies is available to advise and assist local authorities in relation to meeting energy efficiency requirements.