Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2016
227. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of a directive (details supplied); the details of tendering; if works have started in counties Cavan or Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35339/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is no specific EU directive that stipulates that public lighting assets must be upgraded. However, there is a directive (347/2010) stating that certain lamps and lamps with magnetic ballasts either cannot be sold, or must, from 2017, meet certain performance criteria. The EU Directive that is most relevant to changes to public lighting is the Energy Efficiency Directive. Under that Directive Ireland has committed to achieving a target of 20% energy efficiency by 2020 and the Government set a more ambitious target of 33% for the public sector. Upgrading of public lighting is central to the achievement of the public sector target.
While some Local authorities have already undertaken some retrofit work the main focus now is on a co-ordinated national effort to retrofit public lighting nationwide. This is being overseen by the National Public Lighting Steering Group. This group is chaired by the City & County Management Association (CCMA) and includes representatives from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport and my Department. Preparation for the physical upgrading of public lighting assets is underway across a number of work-streams. The initial focus is on inventory and database refinement. SEAI and TII part funded this activity in 2016. Cavan and Monaghan are drawing down this support and have contractors doing this. This is expected to lead to regional contracts for maintenance and retrofit in 2017/18.
