Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein)
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1339. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to increase air monitors in Rialto, Dublin 8, in view of the environmental pollution as a result of the construction of the national children's hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2004/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Ambient air quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the 2008 Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive (Directive 2008/50/EC) and the Fourth Daughter Directive (Directive 2004/107/EC of 15 December 2004). These Directives also include rules on how Member States should monitor, assess and manage ambient air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is tasked with co-ordinating and managing the monitoring programme.Under the Directives, EU Member States must designate "zones" for the purpose of managing air quality.  For Ireland, four zones were defined in the Air Quality Standards Regulations, 2011. The zones in place in Ireland in 2017 are Zone A: the Dublin conurbation, Zone B: the Cork conurbation, Zone C: comprising 23 large towns in Ireland with a population of more than 15,000, and Zone D: the remaining area of Ireland.

Ireland currently has a nationwide network of 30 monitoring stations which measure levels of air pollutants in the four zones. This information is delivered to the public in near real-time at . The numbers and locations of the monitoring equipment for each pollutant are determined by the requirements of the Directives for ambient air monitoring in each zone. Currently Dublin has 14 monitoring stations.

Following a review by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of air quality monitoring and information provision in Ireland, a decision was taken to develop a new Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme which aims to enhance and build on current arrangements. The new national Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme is being developed under Section 65 of the EPA Act, 1992 as amended. One of the key objectives of the programme is to enhance the provision of real time air quality data to the public.  The statutory basis for the programme underlines the importance placed on air quality monitoring in Ireland.  The Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme covers the years 2017 to 2022, with the enhancement and expansion of the monitoring network to be prioritised in the first phases of the programme. Further details on the timeframes for the expansion of the network will be released as they become available. I fully support this important initiative, and have committed funding of some €5 million over the lifetime of the programme.

In relation to specific development sites, environmental management conditions may be imposed by the relevant local authority, or an An Bord Pleanála, as the case may be.