Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

104. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the role his Department takes in monitoring air quality [3382/24]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last night we saw an initiative in Cork City Council called the clean air night. While it is a good idea and perhaps a good initiative in getting people aware about reducing air pollution, there are only three air quality monitors on the northside of Cork, in Montenotte, Mallow and Gurranabraher. There are six on the southside. I do not think six are enough on the southside, but certainly three are not enough on the northside. We have a situation where a man from Glanmire who has asthma has contacted my office. He wants to be able to go out for a run or a jog. He is told, however, to check the air quality before he goes out but there is no air quality monitor in Glanmire. He was told to check a suitable town comparable to Glanmire, but Glanmire has one of the major roads in the country next to it as well as the Dunkettle roundabout, which is a cause of air pollution.

What role does the Minister's Department have in air pollution monitoring and what more can be done? Will the Minister ask the EPA to install more air monitors in Cork, especially on the northside and in areas like Glanmire?

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will give the very last word to the Minister.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Very briefly, our Department has a key role in supporting the EPA and in funding its ambient air quality monitoring programme.

I hear what the Deputy is saying about the north side of Cork not getting the requisite number compared to the south side, and I accept this is a critical issue. On the Deputy's behalf, I will look at what can be done to try to enhance monitoring. Given what we discussed earlier about enforcement, the local authorities are the key area where we have to up our game, so that local authorities do not just monitor, but act where we can prove or find out that coal merchants or other merchants are selling fuels that are adding to the problem. We will do both. As I said, I will happily make the case for north Cork in discussions with the EPA.