Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1037. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide to Dáil Éireann the modelling process conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of his Department when it comes to the recording and forecasting of air quality at any given time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37347/15]

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 instruments at the monitoring stations calculate hourly average values for each pollutant. These values are picked up by the telemetry system at between one minute and thirty five minutes past the hour. 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 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network.

Under the CAFE Directive, EU Member States must designate " zones" for the purpose of assessing and managing air quality. The EPA, as the competent authority for the implementation of the Directive in Ireland, designated four zones which were originally designated in the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011. The zones were subsequently amended on 1 January 2013 to take account of population counts from the 2011 Census.

The main areas defined in each Irish zone are:

- Zone A: Dublin

- Zone B: Cork

- Zone C: Other cities and large towns, including Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Drogheda, Dundalk, Bray, Navan, Ennis, Tralee, Kilkenny, Carlow, Naas, Sligo, Newbridge, Mullingar, Wexford, Letterkenny, Athlone, Celbridge, Clonmel, Balbriggan, Greystones, Leixlip and Portlaoise.

- Zone D: Rural Ireland, i.e. the remainder of the State excluding Zones A, B and C.

Upper and lower assessment thresholds are prescribed in the legislation for a number of pollutants. Within each zone, air quality is assessed and classified with respect to these thresholds, based on measurements over the previous five years. The results of this assessment help to inform decisions on the extent of monitoring. The greatest monitoring effort applies where concentrations are above the upper assessment threshold, i.e. where they approach or exceed the limit value. Where concentrations are between the two thresholds, less intensive measurement combined with other assessment methods, such as air quality modelling, will generally suffice. Monitoring sites are located in accordance with CAFÉ Directive requirements.

The EPA also 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 2014 - Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, was published in October 2015 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2014, 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. That report indicates that Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality but exceeds WHO air quality guidelines for particulate matter in some areas.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1038. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the public awareness and education schemes run by his Department on an annual basis to inform the public on the importance of clean air; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37348/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department occasionally runs public information and awareness campaigns on air quality issues. Implementation of the smoky coal ban, currently in place in towns with 15,000 residents or more, is often the vehicle used in these campaigns. For example, in early 2015 , my Department ran a campaign in local newspapers, providing information on the smoky coal ban rules. Agencies and local authorities are also involved in promoting the importance of good air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes an annual report on air quality in Ireland; this can be found at .

Local authorities regularly initiate their own publicity campaigns , especially in relation to local enforcement of the smoky coal ban . These campaigns include seasonal posters, direct communications with households and the extensive use of social media.

I have commenceda process that will aim to extend the benefits of the smoky coal ban nationwide. This process , which will involve consultation with the EU Commission , different Departments and agencies of Government, industry and the general public , is aimed at introducing the nationwide ban with in the shortest possible timeframe , taking account of these consultations. In conjunction with this policy initiative, my Department will issue a consultation document in the coming weeks, to promote development of Ireland’s first national Clean Air Strategy , which I expect to publish in early 2016.