Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal By Burning) Regulations 2009 make it an offence to dispose of waste by uncontrolled burning. As an exemption, Article 5 of the regulations provides for the permissible disposal of agricultural waste by burning under certain conditions, including, among others, where the material to be burned consists of uncontaminated wood, trees, tree trimmings, leaves, brush and similar waste. It should be noted that the exemption only applies to waste generated by agricultural practice and on the strict understanding that such burning is done as a final measure following the application of the waste hierarchy, under which the prevention of waste or its preparation for reuse, recycling or other recovery are preferred options to the disposal or landfilling of waste. In addition, the relevant local authority must be informed in advance of the intention to burn agricultural green waste.

An exemption under the legislation has been provided in recent years to allow farmers, as a last resort, to dispose by burning of waste generated by agricultural practices. SI 51/2022 - Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, published on 11 February, was the fifth such extension to the exemption and will run until 1 January 2023. It was never intended that the exemption would extend in perpetuity. I anticipate this will be the final extension.My Department has engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on this matter and it has agreed to conduct a feasibility study to examine this matter in some detail with a view to establishing alternative measures to the burning of agricultural green waste within the Irish context and to access the practicality of these alternatives. The feasibility study will include a literature review of alternative practices internationally carried out in regions comparable with Ireland that are viable, practical and environmentally sustainable. The study will also include a public stakeholder consultation. The study, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2022, will identify potential alternative measures to burning and the potential benefits and challenges associated with them. This study will help inform appropriate policy actions to take in order to establish alternative measures to burning on Irish farms.

The issue of air pollution caused by this practice is well established and is addressed in a draft clean air strategy, developed by my Department, which identifies and promotes the integrated actions across government required to reduce air pollution. The draft clean air strategy, which it is intended will be published later this year, was open for public consultation until 3 May this year. The final published clean air strategy will provide the high-level strategic policy framework necessary to identify and promote the integrated measures across government policy that are required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner ambient air while delivering on wider national objectives. The key strategic priorities of the clean air strategy are as follows: to ensure continuous improvements in air quality across the country; to guarantee the integration of clean air considerations into policy development across government; to increase the evidence base that will help us to continue to evolve our understanding of the sources of pollution in order to address them more effectively; to enhance regulation and improve the effectiveness of our enforcement systems; and to promote and increase awareness of the importance of clean air.