Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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76. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to ensure that smoky coal cannot be imported from Northern Ireland after 31 December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27990/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government commits to extending the "smoky" coal ban to new towns and, over the term of Government, move towards a full nationwide ban.

As the full nationwide ban is not yet in place, it will remain legal to sell, market, distribute and burn bituminous coal in areas outside of Low Smoke Zones after 31 December 2020, and to import such coal from Northern Ireland or elsewhere.The usual enforcement process will apply to ensure that bituminous coal will not be sold, marketed, distributed or burned within Low Smoke Zones.

My Department is working with a number of agencies to devise a new multi-agency enforcement programme on solid fuels used for residential heating.  Additionally we have issued letters to all coal companies in Ireland and Northern Ireland advising there is no legal market in Ireland for solid fuel with a sulphur content in excess of 2% for domestic heating purposes.

While enforcement is primarily a matter for the Local Authorities, the Government is committed to strengthening enforcement of air quality regulation and my Department will be engaging with local authorities in that regard. The issue of effective enforcement will also be considered in the forthcoming public consultation on a nationwide approach to solid fuel regulation.