Seanad debates

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Malcolm ByrneMalcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Leader will be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has published another report raising concerns about poor air quality in Ireland. We have known for quite some time that the poor air quality in many of our communities potentially contributes to up to 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland. In addition to poor air quality resulting in premature deaths, there are certain times that those who have respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, and asthma are trapped inside their own homes. They cannot go outside because of the quality of air in their communities. The Leader might be aware that the UCD centre for human reproduction conducted a study in the final six months of last year outside the three maternity hospitals in Dublin and again found that air pollution levels were higher than would have been accepted by the World Health Organization.

When it came to road safety, the Government decided quite a number of years ago that the number of deaths on the road was completely unacceptable and took very strong action. A very serious campaign was taken to reduce the number of deaths on our roads and, generally speaking, that can be measured as a success. We need to take the same approach towards clean air quality. This is not just for environmental reasons; this is for public health reasons. We must ensure that citizens with respiratory illnesses can go about their lives freely. All of us are entitled to clean air, however. There is a Government clean air strategy but, unfortunately, I do not think it is being pursued with the rigour that is necessary. I ask for a very specific debate in this House regarding the question of clean air.

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