Written answers
Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Air Quality
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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178. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has access to any research conducted on the presence of ultrafine particulate pollution from aircraft around any of Ireland's commercial airports. [2717/23]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the designated authority for monitoring air quality in Ireland. Under the national Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme, which has received significant investment from my Department in recent years, the number of monitoring stations have increased from 29 in 2017 to 108 today.
The EPA monitors a range of air pollutants, including fine particulate matter, otherwise known as PM2.5. These are particles with a diameter of 2.5μm or less. Ultrafine particulate pollution is defined as particles with a diameter of just 1μm or less. My Department is unaware of any research conducted into the presence of ultrafine PM from aircraft at Ireland’s commercial airports.
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