Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which air pollution continues to be monitored on an on-going basis throughout the country; the number of such points currently operational; the degree to which a rise and fall in any particular air pollutants has been recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34112/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The ambient air quality monitoring programme in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFÉ Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants based on data obtained from the 30 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network.

The EPA publishes also an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFÉ Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2011 - Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, was published in September 2012 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2011, compared to the CAFÉ Directive standards. The forthcoming report for 2012 will also include, for the first time, assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health.

Downward trends have been identified for many pollutants and while no exceedances of current limit values were recorded for 2011, levels of particulate matter (PMs) are a concern, especially where there is widespread reliance on solid fuel for residential heating, particularly in towns where the ban on smoky coal does not apply. Having different standards applying to coal between larger urban and smaller urban/rural locations is not ideal, as it results in different levels of environmental protection and clean air benefits for people across these different locations. For this reason, on 6 May 2013, I announced a joint North-South study on all-island air quality to examine air pollution from residential solid fuel, in particular 'smoky' coal, to consider the potential policy options to reduce such emissions with consequential environmental and human health benefits.

Air quality monitoring results have also shown that nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels in larger urban areas, derived mainly from road traffic, have remained relatively static since 2002, with signs of a slight increasing trend in the years 2008-2010. Further reductions of NO₂ levels will require improved emission standards from new vehicles, reduced demand for private road transport, increased use of alternatives to the private car such as cycling, walking and public transport.