Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

What we really want is a clean air strategy to set out bold steps on cleaning up our air. We know what will work in towns like Enniscorthy. Smoky coal should be banned. In addition, trees, hedges and ivy should be planted. All the European and UK research, which is very advanced, has shown that all of these, even in very polluted locations in towns and cities, have a massive improving effect on air quality. The amount of disease caused by dirty air should be mapped out. The Minister should state the steps we are taking to end this.

The HSE is well over budget, as we know. The Government has lost control of the budget of the HSE. Why not act to have clean air in this country and reduce the incidence of all the diseases and conditions that dirty air is causing in adults and children?

The Government should pledge to go green. We should green our towns and villages and grow back our hedgerows. The latter are being ripped out all over the country under the Government's agricultural policy. We know the steps we can take to alter this. They are not incredibly expensive at all. In fact, over a period of five to seven years, I have no doubt that they would save the State a considerable amount. One should think back to Ms Mary Harney and the ban on smoky coal in Dublin. That was a single action. I urge the current Minister to have courage and take on the coal firms, which are polluting so many towns. One has only to stand on the hill outside Enniscorthy on a bad day to see the pall of smoke sitting over the town. That should not be in this day and age. Maybe the Minister should just visit the town himself.

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