Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if arising from air pollution studies carried out at the various locations over the past five years, the locations most affected; if the nature of the pollutants have been identified as carcinogenic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43378/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The monitoring, assessment and management of ambient air quality in Ireland is carried out according to the requirements of the EU Air Quality Framework Directive. This Directive became law through the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, (Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management) Regulations, 1999. Under further regulations made in 2002, 2004 and 2009, specific ambient air quality standards have been prescribed for the following pollutants:

· sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead (2002);

· carbon monoxide and benzene (2002);

· ozone (2004); and

· polyaromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, nickel, cadmium and mercury in ambient air (2009).

Benzene, arsenic, nickel, cadmium and mercury are all carcinogenic.

Where the indicative level for any pollutant is exceeded, the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2002 require the local authority concerned, following notification by the EPA, to develop a long-term air quality management plan to ensure compliance with the thresholds for the relevant pollutant or pollutants.

The EPA reports the results of the air quality monitoring of the above pollutants through its website: http://www.epa.ie/whatwedo/monitoring/air/data/. My Department keeps these data under ongoing review to identify any significant trends which might emerge and also meets periodically with the EPA on air quality issues.

The EPA also publishes a comprehensive annual report on air quality, the most recent being the report on Air Quality in Ireland 2008 (September 2009). This report provides an overview of ambient air quality trends in Ireland in 2008 based on data from 30 monitoring stations. In addition there were a further 18 monitoring stations operated by local authorities to measure black smoke. The Report did not identify any area in the country where ambient air quality is exceeded and confirmed that Ireland is in compliance with the air quality standards in force for all pollutants.