John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue matter. The response states: "We can draw some comfort from the report’s finding that levels of NO2 are well within the recommended EU limits in many residential areas in Dublin away from busy roads." The M50 runs through my constituency, in areas such as Kingswood in Tallaght, Oldbawn, Templeogue, Greenhills, Walkinstown, Knockline and Ballycullen, out into the constituency of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, in areas such as Ballinteer, Dundrum and Marley Park. That there are areas not covered by the report is of little comfort to me.

I am very taken by the fourth paragraph in the response. There is a sentence which runs for ten words, five of which have five syllables: "Initiatives to significantly reduce pollutants will require significant inter-sectoral collaboration." We know that; the fact is that nothing is happening. People on the south side of Dublin know all about air quality, dating back ten years. The answer also states improved data collection is very important. We also know that, as the EPA has told us about it.

The project between Dublin City Council and Trinity College Dublin was mentioned. It will affect the city, but what about South Dublin County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Fingal County Council through the areas of which the M50 runs?

The response states, "if further monitoring confirms that the EU limit values of NO2 have been exceeded, the local authorities in Dublin will be legally required to prepare air quality action plans..." Why, therefore, are we waiting? It is inevitable that levels will increase. Car levels are increasing and any efforts at reduced emission or volume of cars on the road has not kicked in at all. Why are we waiting? Will the Minister of State ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment why we should wait for the EPA to produce a further report stating we have breached EU guidelines and recommended limits in certain areas? We should have air monitoring, but that will only identify the problem areas where the Minister and the Government will need to come up with a range of immediate, medium and long-term actions to deal with air quality in Dublin which is disimproving.

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