Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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95. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to support local authorities in enforcing air quality regulations in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9871/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As outlined in the Programme for Government, I gave a commitment to develop an enhanced co-ordinated approach to air quality enforcement to support the work of the Local Authorities in enforcing all air quality legislation under their remit.

Officials from my Department and the Local Government Management Agency are now working together on a full assessment of the current state of the sector and scoping out the resource requirements to ensure the most appropriate and cost effective enforcement structure is put in place.

This structure will be established to support the provision of enhanced co-ordination, expertise and advice ensuring consistent implementation of all air quality legislation across the country. I have secured funding of €1.2 million for 2022 for the provision of additional supports in this regard.

My Department is fully committed to supporting Local Authorities and regularly engages with them through a number of fora and special projects in relation to their enforcement work. Officials in the Department have been working with enforcement personnel to develop guidance and training, and to support the sharing of best practice. For example, through the Network for Ireland’s Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (NIECE), work has just been completed on a review of the Air Pollution Act from an enforcement perspective, and the development of new guidance for vapour pressure enforcement.

This work will continue over the coming months on additional projects and opportunities for collaboration, providing the groundwork for the new enforcement structure.