Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is satisfied with the systems for monitoring air pollution from aviation in the vicinity of Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3569/24]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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Is the Minister satisfied with the systems in place to monitor pollution in the form of odour and particulate matter as it relates to aviation in the vicinity of Dublin Airport?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The national air quality monitoring stations are operated, maintained and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency under the ambient air quality monitoring programme. My Department has provided funding for a significant upgrade to the network in recent years and the number of monitoring stations has increased from 29 in 2017 to 116 today.

All stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organization guideline values. The EPA produces an annual report on air quality in Ireland that provides an overview of our air quality and key issues that impact on it. Details of the locations of all monitoring stations currently in operation, along with real-time and historic data from each station, can be found at www.airquality.ie.

Dublin Airport undertakes a voluntary ambient air quality monitoring programme. This includes the operation of an on-site air quality monitoring station, which measures a range of parameters on a continuous basis, complemented by monthly monitoring undertaken at 11 locations in communities surrounding the airport. Dublin Airport air quality monitoring station data is provided to the EPA on a continuous basis and can be viewed on the EPA website at . Dublin Airport also publishes quarterly reports on air quality monitoring that help to keep local communities informed. These reports are available at www.dublinairport.com/corporate/corporate-social-responsibility/air. Monitoring results indicate good air quality with concentrations of the main transport-related parameters below the national ambient air quality standards.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I thank the Minister. I am familiar with all of those websites. The problem is that for residents, particularly in south Swords and in estates like Ridgewood, Boroimhe and River Valley - huge estates with large populations - there has been a huge increase in both the smell of aviation fuel and particulate matter being visible on sills, curtains and walls in these estates. The monitoring stations are all over the north of the county. They are not in the areas we are asking them to be. We are getting poor responses as to why they cannot put the monitoring in these estates where we are actually seeing and smelling the pollution. I ask the Minister to bear in mind that we are an airport community and airport people. We live next to an airport so we understand what to expect but this is over and above that. The confused nature of Fingal County Council and the EPA and the voluntary nature of the DAA's obligations in this regard means we are not getting enough regulation in this area. I think the Minister would want such regulation.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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It is important that we continue to review, revise and amend, particularly with the airport changing and the new runway. We both know the series of issues that have arisen around different flight paths and so on. I would argue that the concerns of local residents in south Swords or other areas need to be listened to. I would be happy to assist the Deputy in engaging with Dublin Airport to make sure that whatever monitoring stations we have continue to assess those communities that might have a concern or a question, maybe about a flight path they might not have been on previously. We should continue to review and monitor that.

My understanding from the data that is available is that all existing stations are below the levels. The one that is probably closest or most difficult is in the bus depot or station that is effectively outside the airport, which is understandable because there are bus emissions and it is the busiest bus station in the city. However, I would be quite happy to support the Deputy in engaging with Dublin Airport to make sure we continue to review the locations of the air monitoring stations to ensure they are capturing communities that might have a concern.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I appreciate that. All of this is taking place in a couple of contexts. The DAA has changed its complaints mechanism, which has actually made it more difficult for residents and local communities to make any number of complaints, not just in this area. Also, we know the air quality in our city and all over the county is struggling. We have a huge problem and we have articulated that. The Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, has also articulated it really well, and has stated that as many as one in five deaths can be attributed to or impacted as a result of air quality in our city. It is a huge issue, and not just an airport issue.

We need to do everything we can with regard to active travel and reducing emissions. However, empowering the EPA in this regard is needed, either through implementation of statutory instruments or a change of legislation. That is something we should work on across the House in the coming months and beyond.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I agree with the Deputy. We have to treat air quality absolutely seriously. There are 1,600 premature deaths each year due to air quality issues. We have taken significant action in this Government - actions that were put off by previous governments for decades - with regard to introducing standards around solid fuels, which is the key issue around impact, as science tells us. That is making a significant difference, as is the promotion of active travel, as the Deputy said, and other clean technologies. In fact, the renewables issue we were talking about earlier would also help. Solar and wind power will all help in terms of air quality. The key issue now is doubling down on enforcement and getting local authorities to enforce the legislation we have. I will continue to work with the CCMA and others to make sure that if any merchant or other operator is selling fuels outside the standards, they will be prosecuted. They will be shut down, in effect, or certainly stopped in that activity. At the moment, I am focusing my efforts on making sure we have proper enforcement.