Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding introducing a nationwide smoky coal ban; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4380/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government commits to extend the Smoky Coal Ban to new towns and, over the term of the Government, to move towards a full nationwide ban.

I have already delivered on the first part of that commitment by creating 13 new Low Smoke Zones with effect from 1 September 2020, and the ban now applies in all towns with populations in excess of 10,000 people.

The next step in the process will be a public consultation to assess views on the development of legislation to regulate the broader use of solid fuels in the residential sector. This is being done with a view to transitioning to lower polluting fuels for residential heating and will:

- assess the merits of a national approach to regulating sold fuel;

- determine which solid fuels should be regulated;

- consider how these fuels should be regulated; and

- set out an appropriate timeline for the implementation of any new regulations.

The consultation will be launched in the coming weeks and the responses received will inform the decisions to be made regarding the broadening, implementation and enforcement of the existing ban on a nationwide basis.