Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress being made on the development of a national clean air strategy; when he will publish this strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42873/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department is currently working to finalise Ireland’s first National Clean Air Strategy.While it was originally my intention to launch the Strategy alongside a public consultation on a new solid fuel regulation for Ireland, recognising the urgency of taking action to address the health impacts of domestic solid fuel burning, I chose to progress the development of enhanced solid fuel regulations in advance. This decision has allowed submissions received during the consultation process to inform and contribute to the final strategy document.

Having considered the submissions made by the public, health experts, advocacy groups, academia and industry, a framework for legislation has now been developed.  From 2022 the following new standards for solid fuels will be introduced:

- Coal, coal-based products, any manufactured solid fuel or peat products will be required to have a smoke emission rate of less than 10g/hour, reducing to 5g/hr by 2025.

- It is not proposed to make any changes to the smoke emission rate for biomass products (that contain coal), as this is already set at 5g/hr.

- The sulphur content permitted for all fuels will be reduced from 2% to 1% over time.

- Wood sold in single units under 2m³ will be required to have a moisture content of 25% or less, moving to 20% within 4 years, and wet wood sold over these volumes will be required to come with instructions for the purchaser on how to dry this wood. 

These regulations will be finalised in the coming months and will be in place for the 2022 heating season. I have made the announcement now to allow those servicing the domestic solid fuel market to plan accordingly, and to continue to invest in less polluting alternatives.

This measure will be a central element of the Clean Air Strategy which will also identify and promote the integrated actions across Government required to reduce air pollution. I intend to open a public consultation on the Strategy in the near future.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of air monitoring stations that are currently operational on a county basis; the number of these that are currently located at schools; if he plans to expand the network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42874/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (AAMP), operated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has undergone significant investment and expansion in recent years, with the number of monitoring stations increasing from 30 in 2017 to 96 today.

All monitoring stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants in order to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organisation guideline values.

The siting of these stations is a matter for the EPA and details of their exact locations are available at www.airquality.ie .

A county-by-county breakdown is provided below:

Real-time data from these monitoring stations is available online at all times at www.airquality.ieand the air quality readings are illustrated according to the Air Quality Index for Health.

The AAMP will be expanded further in the coming months to deliver a network of 110 stations, serving to increase the evidential base required to inform the policy measures necessary to improve the quality of our air.

While Ireland has traditionally focused on measurements from monitoring stations to assess air quality, there is a need to provide more local air quality information throughout the country. The intention is that the information generated through monitoring, will be augmented by a newly developed modelling and forecasting capability, which will provide an on-going air quality forecast service to the public.

This work is being developed as part of a new EU LIFE funded project called LIFE EMERALD, which commenced this year. By 2024, this modelling project will deliver a national air quality forecast, a near real-time nowcast, and historical modelled maps along with multiple awareness raising and citizen engagement elements.