Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the emission releases from track maintenance machines at Kildare train station are at an acceptable level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26316/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Pollutant emissions from all combustion engines (including track maintenance machines) contribute to air pollution by emitting carbon oxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter.  Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) which would include diesel or gasoline fuelled track maintenance machines, are regulated under EU legislation-Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 (referred to as the “NRMM Regulation”).

The Regulation sets out requirements relating to gaseous and particulate pollutant emission limits and type-approval provisions for internal combustion engines for non-road mobile machinery.  It also defines emission limits for engines of varying power ranges and applications and lays down the procedures which engine manufacturers must follow in order to obtain type-approval of their engines – which is a prerequisite for placing their engines on the EU market. 

I have no specific information on the particular machines being used in the maintenance works in question, however the engines would be required to comply with the emission standards in force when they were placed on the market.