Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2188. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development 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. [40918/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is undertaking a number of measures to ensure energy conservation and address climate action in our offices.
My Department’s internal Green, Energy and Organisational (GEO) Committee oversees a number of initiatives to ensure energy conservation and environmental sustainability, including the implementation of a Resource Efficiency Action Plan and participation in the Optimising Power at Work initiative. The committee also actively engages with our staff to advise on how to encourage energy efficiency, both in the office and in the home working environment.
In furtherance of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy, my Department achieved an overall increase in energy efficiency of 37.8% by 2022. While this was undoubtedly driven to an extent by increased remote working, significant progress was nevertheless achieved through the work undertaken by the GEO Committee and the actions of our staff in progressing the energy efficiency and conservation agenda.
