Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 January 2023
48. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of funding that was allocated to his Department’s corporate climate actions in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3485/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSuch is the construct of the Department’s Vote, as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, that there is no singular corporate climate action funding allocation but rather all “Green” initiatives are supported via a range of different budget areas. These funding lines include Office Premises, ICT, Learning and Development and Incidental costs. Our climate action initiatives can also be supported via the non-pay allocations of the Offices of the Department when local climate action initiatives are being delivered in their locations.
My Department has a well-established internal “Green Team” which augments and supports corporate climate actions for which functional responsibility lies at Principal Officer level. Many of the “Green Team” initiatives are embedded into the day-to-day facilities management operations. There are over 30 members on the DETE Green Team spanning across the Department and its Offices, which include the Companies Registration Office (CRO), the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI), the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The Department also works in close collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Office of Public Works (OPW), in progressing the internal green agenda. In this regard, the Department has availed of co-funding programmes and initiatives, such as the Optimising at Work Programme, which in 2020/21, delivered a LED lighting upgrade (1,200 lights) in the Department’s headquarters at 23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
This close collaboration of many years has helped the Department to deliver 63% energy efficiency savings since 2009 as part of the annual energy performance reporting mechanism overseen by the SEAI. The Department ranks second of all Government Departments in this regard as per the 2021 report, the latest available.
Notwithstanding the above my Department recognises that it must continue to do even more. We are currently working closely with the OPW to install solar panels on the roof of the Kildare Street building as well as the provision of a new bicycle storage facility in the basement area, both of which are anticipated to be delivered in the first quarter of 2023.
The Department is also exploring how best to further incorporate climate action and sustainability training with our Learning and Career Development Unit, as well as focusing even greater awareness on the climate agenda through mechanisms such as Divisional Meetings and webinars. Other examples of corporate climate actions supported across the Department in recent years include:
- Installation of electric vehicle charging points in the Kildare St courtyard.
- Replacement of 75% of water coolers with water filters, thus significantly reducing the level of plastic drums being used, in the Kildare Street and Dawson Street buildings.
- Timing adjustments to water, lighting and heating systems in Kildare Street, Dawson Street and Earlsfort Centre buildings to conserve water and energy usage.
- Installation of a new energy efficient boiler in the Earlsfort Centre building.
- Introduction of “Brown bin”/food recycling and significantly enhancements to recycling of other materials (papers/cardboards/plastics).
- Removal of individual staff bins and the associated plastic bags used to collect rubbish.
- Installation of Beehives on roof of 23 Kildare Street building.
- Consolidation of the number of printers and photocopiers and the purchase of energy efficient ICT equipment.
- Partnering with the National Transport Authority in the “Smarter Travel Initiative”.
- Hosting an annual “DETE Green Month” for all staff which includes various projects, Green awareness initiatives, webinars, and “How to” sessions in relation to energy, conservation and biodiversity actions, in the workplace, at home and in our local communities.
In the limited timeframe available to answer the Deputy’s question, it has not been possible to collate the actual expenditure figures incurred by the Department in delivering the various corporate climate actions outlined above. I will arrange for such information to be provided to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity.
