Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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719. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which monitoring continues to take place in respect of air and water pollution; if particular trends have become noticeable arising from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29670/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Air quality monitoring 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 CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants, based on data obtained from the 31 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network. The EPA publishes an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFE Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2013 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, was published in October 2014 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2013, compared to the CAFE Directive standards, as well as assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health.

I welcome the fact that downward trends have been identified for many pollutants and that Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality, while noting that Ireland exceeds WHO air quality guideline values for particulate matter (PM) in some areas. Particulate matter levels are of concern, particularly during the winter heating season in some areas where the sale of smoky coal is permitted. Because of this, levels of particulate matter in smaller towns can often be similar to, or higher than, those in cities where the sale and use of smoky coal is banned. To help protect our good air quality, consumers must become more aware of their choice in home heating fuel and the potential impact that this choice can have on air quality in their locality and on human health.

In respect to monitoring of water quality, the EPA, local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute monitor rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters, and groundwater quality under the Water Framework Directive. This extensive monitoring programme comprises: 336 groundwater monitoring sites, 3,051 river monitoring sites, 42 canal monitoring sites, 213 lakes, 193 transitional water bodies and 101 coastal water bodies and provides a good overview of current water quality and trends.

The findings from the monitoring programme are detailed in the Water Quality in Ireland Reports. The most recent report covers the period from 2010-2012 and is available on the EPA website at www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/waterqua/wqr20102012/.

The report contains an overview of water quality and in summary reports that 53% of rivers, 43% of lakes, 45% of transitional waters, 93% of coastal waters and 99% of groundwater were satisfactory at good or high status. There was a 4% increase in high or good condition (73%) river channel based on the biological Q value assessments. Serious pollution of rivers reduced to 17 km from 53 km since the last reporting period (2007-2009). Reported fish kills declined to an all-time low of 70 recorded between 2010 and 2012. There was a 5% reduction in satisfactory quality lakes (10 lakes) and further investigations are ongoing as to the cause of this reduction. Water quality in canals remains very high at over 90% satisfactory. The south and south-east of the country continue to have the greatest proportion of groundwater and rivers with nitrogen concentrations over 10 mg/l NO3. While there was a decrease in detections of faecal coliforms in groundwater from 61% in 2008 to 51% in 2012, these levels highlight a risk for drinking water in areas where there is inadequate treatment. Approximately 35% of the designated shellfish areas were non-compliant with the guide value for Escherichia coli.

The 2015 surveys are currently under way and a new national update for 2013-2015 will be available in 2016. The EPA and local authorities respond to water quality incidents and complaints on an ongoing basis.