Energy Minister Eamon Ryan today congratulated the families who participated in the Power of One Street campaign over the past six months and highlighted the steps we all must take to ensure that Ireland reaches its energy efficiency goals as outlined in the draft national energy efficiency action plan.

Six months ago, eight households were chosen from more than one hundred and thirty applications, to take on the Power of One Street Challenge by reducing their energy usage around the home.

Speaking at an event to celebrate the conclusion of the six month challenge, Minister Ryan paid tribute to the enthusiasm of the participants: "The people who've participated in this campaign should be an example to us, as over the past six months they've provided clear evidence that making small changes can produce enormous results and they demonstrate that with a little effort nationally we could achieve real change that will benefit the environment as well as our pockets.

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The Programme for Government commits Ireland to achieving ambitious energy efficiency savings of 20 per cent by 2020 and 33 per cent for the public sector. Setting Ireland on the path to achieving these savings will be a priority of my term as energy Minister. The draft energy efficiency action plan I published recently begins this process and I am determined to achieve the savings identified in that plan."

Through the implementation of the action plan Ireland could save more than €1.7 billion every year or the equivalent of three million tonnes of oil.

The draft National Energy Efficiency Action Plan was published earlier this month and is now out for public consultation. A copy of the plan can be downloaded at the following location: www.powerofone.ie

(GK/JM)