Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to extend the ban on bituminous coal to other local authority areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36643/05]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The 1990 regulations banning the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal were originally made to address the winter smog situation prevalent in the Dublin area at that time, and have since been extended to 15 other areas taking account of air quality monitoring data and population size.

A June 2002 voluntary agreement between my Department and the Solid Fuel Trade Group provided, inter alia, for the delivery of significantly cleaner standards for bituminous coal and petcoke on a phased basis. Under this agreement, there is at present a temporary moratorium on the designation of further coal ban areas during the life of the agreement except where required to ensure adherence to air quality standards.

The agreement is currently undergoing a final review and discussions with the Solid Fuel Trade Group have been under way for some time with a view to further improving the environmental performance of the solid fuel sector. Pending completion of the review and the discussions with the Solid Fuel Trade Group, I have no plans to extend the ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal. I expect the review and the discussions to be completed shortly.