Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1580. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice the actions and engagements that her Department has taken to date to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency in all buildings under her Department. [40916/22]
View answerI wish to inform the Deputy that my Department is deeply committed to sustainability and in particular to achieving 2030 and 2050 targets for reduction in its carbon footprint. Our Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 provides clear and robust commitment to climate and sustainability issues and our action plan commits to the development of a Climate Policy, outlining how the justice sector intends to achieve these targets.
My Department, in common with all public bodies, is obliged under the Climate Action Plan (CAP 21) to achieve a 50% improvement in energy efficiency (vs 2009) and reduce our energy related greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by the end of 2030 (versus an average of 2016-18). Our progress is monitored and reported on annually by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
Within my Department, actions taken include active management of Building Management Systems, staff awareness campaigns (via the OPW’s Optimising Power @ Work project), automatic powering down of equipment and lighting refurbishment programmes. Obsolete air conditioning systems were replaced with more energy efficient units. During 2022, the Department's diesel van is being replaced by an electric van and my Department is working with the National Transport Authority in rolling out the Smarter Travel Programme.
My Department has established an Energy Performance Officers’ Forum for senior managers within the Justice sector, chaired at Assistant Secretary level. The aim of this Forum is to drive the importance of the sustainability agenda at a senior level across the Justice sector. An Energy Managers’ Forum has also been established to promote the exchange of information, methodologies and plans at a Facilities Management level across the sector
Preliminary data indicates we achieved energy efficiency savings of 46% in 2020 and 42.4% in 2021 (the 2021 figure has yet to be verified).
Direct consequences of the response to the COVID19 pandemic resulted in the temporary closure of public offices, and the majority of our staff pivoting to working from home, wherever possible. While we did see a return to the office for some staff members of during 2021, this did not hugely impact our energy savings as all buildings were still being heated and cooled (or ventilated) during 2021.
In its submission on the new National Development Plan, my Department also emphasised initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Planned capital investment in the Justice Sector is aligned with the Climate Action Plan in delivering objectives including:
- Digitisation of paper-based processes;
- Reducing emissions across the Justice sector by improving energy efficiency of buildings, deployment of electric vehicles in Justice sector fleets, and facilitating mobile working; and
- Reducing food waste and use of plastics.
