Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 818: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the timescale for the adoption of a strategy to reduce emissions of transboundary air pollution. [22720/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On 12 April 2005, the Government approved a national programme for the progressive reduction of emissions of the four transboundary pollutants, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ammonia. The National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2004 specify national emission ceilings for the above four pollutants to be achieved by 2010. A number of measures which would tie in with the achievement of the ceilings were already being actively pursued under existing and planned legislation and policies, including cleaner fuels and vehicles, integrated pollution control licensing, organic solvent emissions reduction and a voluntary agreement with the solid fuel industry.

In addition, my Department also submitted a national emission reduction plan for large combustion plants to the European Commission. The plan, under Directive 2001/80/EC on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants from large combustion plants with a rated thermal input greater than 50 MW, requires significant reductions of emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from older ESB power plants and boilers in Aughinish Alumina from 2008.

The national programme sets out a number of significant developments in policies and measures in various sectors since 2003. The downward emissions trend evident since 2001 is projected to continue to 2010, though it is clear that the nitrogen oxides ceiling in annexe 1 to Directive 2001/81/EC presents a significant difficulty for Ireland and that measures to achieve it could be disproportionately costly.

Directive 2001/81/EC will be reviewed by the European Commission in 2006, taking into account the clean air for Europe, CAFE, programme on the thematic strategy on air pollution due to be published later in 2005. The thematic strategy will address environmental objectives up to 2020, building on existing 2010 objectives including emission ceilings in Directive 2001/81/EC. Ireland's national programme, which will be updated in 2006, indicates significant ongoing progress to date and is an important milestone with a view to a future national emissions reduction strategy. Details of the national programme can be accessed on-line at www.environ.ie.