Around 5,000 construction jobs could be created by helping to make public buildings greener.

That is according to the latest energy efficiency plan which will target schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

The new €70 million proposals been launched to help make public buildings more energy efficient.

It is the second action plan and is expected to be implemented by 2020.

Around 600 construction jobs will also be created as a result of the plan.

It comes as the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) say building jobs rose again in the second quarter of last year.

It is the first time they have seen an increase in numbers since the boom.

Targets for energy suppliers

The new plan places targets on energy suppliers, who will be expected to play a central role in it.

The updated Plan contains 97 actions - 5 of which Minister Pat Rabbitte says 'will play an integral role in meeting the national target':

• In the Public sector, we will introduce a series of obligations on public sector bodies to address consumption, procurement and reporting of energy use. Current public sector spending on energy is between €600 million and €800 million per annum. This is unsustainable and the public sector must be a leader in our drive to reduce energy costs. We will be an exemplar in effective energy management.
• We will introduce an appropriate Pay-As-You-Save (PAYS) model for Ireland to replace existing exchequer supports for domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency upgrade measures. Work on the design is substantially underway by our PAYS project team.
• The delivery of PAYS for the non-domestic sector is already well advanced. Next month we will publish a national Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) policy framework to deliver innovative financing models of energy efficiency measures in the commercial and public sectors. This Framework will standardise energy performance contracting in Ireland and provide a robust process for nurturing investment-ready projects. The Framework will be underpinned by an Energy Efficiency Fund. Let us be clear that it is only by tackling the energy performance of buildings and facilities that we will harvest the deep retrofit savings required to meet our ambitious targets.
• The Better Energy programme will deliver energy efficiency improvements across a number of sectors including energy saving targets for energy suppliers. I commend those companies who have already signed Voluntary Agreements with the SEAI to deliver on their commitments.
• A Cross-Departmental Implementation Group will ensure that the actions contained in this Plan are delivered. It will report regularly to Government on progress towards our 20% national target.

And the Energy Minister says there is plenty of work out there to be done.