Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

5 o’clock

I acknowledge the work Deputy Kelly has done in this area. Part of the problem is that, effectively, we had no Government in place for the first half of last year. Since I became Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment this has been one of my priorities, especially now because the Department has responsibility not only for environmental issues but for climate change and energy issues as well. The clear air strategy dovetails into the policies covering these three divisions of my Department.

Deputy Kelly is right to ask whether the strategy will be in place by 2018. The intention is to have it in place by 2018 in respect of the ban on coal. The clean air strategy is going for public consultation within the coming weeks. I look forward to the engagement of Deputy Kelly in this regard. I have been engaging with the Environmental Protection Agency to determine how we can improve monitoring in this area. I have held several meetings with other bodies, such as the Asthma Society of Ireland.

Deputy Kelly is right. The reality is that four people per day in Ireland are dying directly as a result of poor air quality. This is having a great impact on admissions to our accident and emergency departments and congestion within the health system. That is why we have introduced the warmth and well-being pilot scheme. That is why I made an announcement in Ballymahon some weeks ago to deal specifically with the problem, especially in the midlands, where in approximately one home in four, the major source of heating is solid fuel. The idea is to look at how we can make a transition away from that. I am determined not only to implement the clean air strategy and to put in place the ban on coal but to make a transition from dirty fuels to clearer fuels to deal with this issue.

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