Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the level of groundwater and air pollutants have been identified and the extent of the measures put in place to address any issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13386/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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With regard to air pollutants, ambient air quality monitoring and assessment in Ireland is carried out in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The CAFE Directive consolidated and replaced the earlier Air Quality Framework Directive and the first three so-called "daughter" directives.

The CAFE Directive has been transposed into national legislation by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011. These regulations set limit values/target values for the following pollutants:

· Sulphur Dioxide;

· Nitrogen Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen;

· Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5 );

· Lead;

· Benzene;

· Carbon Monoxide; and

· Ozone.

In addition, the Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air Regulations 2009 transpose the fourth "daughter" Directive 2004/107/EC and specify target values and monitoring requirements for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic hydrocarbons.

The EPA publishes a comprehensive annual report on air quality, the most recent being the report, Air Quality in Ireland 2010 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, published in September 2011. This report provides an overview of ambient air quality trends in Ireland in 2010 based on data from 28 monitoring stations. The Report confirmed that air quality in Ireland continues to be good and remains among the best in Europe. In 2010, measured values for the above mentioned pollutants were all below limit and target values set out in legislation. On the issue of groundwater pollutants, I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 49 and 138 on today's Order Paper.