Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Air Quality

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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266. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he monitors and identifies air pollutants; if they are increasing; the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11869/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Air quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, known as the CAFÉ Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are carried out for the purposes of assessment and management of air quality.  The EPA 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, primarily based 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 September 2015 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2014, compared to the CAF É Directive standards, as well as assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health and the European Environment Agency (EEA) estimated reference levels.

The report indicates that NOx values, arising primarily from the transport sector, are showing a slight increase over 2013 figures at some locations, and indicates a risk that growth in economic activity will lead to an increase in NOx levels. Similarly, the report indicates that levels of particulates (PM 2.5) and compounds (PAH) have increased at some stations.

Notwithstanding these points, I welcome the fact that n o levels above the EU limit value were recorded at any of the ambient air quality network monitoring sites in Ireland in 2014. However, I also note 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 local air quality and on human health.

To this end, my Department has commenced work on the first ever national Clean Air Strategy which will provide an overarching strategic policy framework within which clean air policies can be formulated and given effect in a manner consistent with national, EU and international policy considerations and priorities. The Strategy will set a progressive vision for managing and improving Ireland’s air quality across the broad range of Government Departments and Agencies, and will seek to integrate such considerations into future sectorial policy and expenditure decisions. The development of the Strategy is especially timely, in the context of the EU’s Clean Air Package, as it will act as a policy framework for the implementation of the provisions of the Package in Ireland, but it will also complement and add value to it, by having a particular focus on national priority areas not addressed by EU legislation.

The Clean Air Strategy will target priority air pollutants in Ireland in an integrated manner, addressing the relevant sectors including transport, industry, agriculture and residential heating with the aim of identifying cost-effective short, medium and long-term goals and action for reducing air pollutant levels. The Strategy will seek to ensure continued and on-going compliance with current and future EU legislation, but also improved health outcomes and wider environmental benefits. Importantly, the Strategy will also aim to align relevant sectorial strategies, in particular, climate change and clean air policies, to ensure complementary actions to avoid policy conflict, maximising co-benefits and thus cost effectiveness.

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