Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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81. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps being taken to tackle the high air pollution levels recently recorded in towns across the country. [9856/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Data from our network of monitoring stations demonstrates that the measures we have taken to protect our air quality have been effective overall. Where periodic spikes in air pollution levels have been observed, they have been primarily due to the burning of solid fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency advises that such “spikes” occur primarily during times of certain weather conditions, such as still air and fog, when pollutants are not dispersed in the usual manner.

Nonetheless, each year, some 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to air pollution from solid fuel burning. I remain committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge through enhanced regulation of all solid fuels, and enforcement of those regulations. Last year I introduced new regulations to set minimum standards for all solid fuels being placed on the market in Ireland, ensuring that the most polluting can no longer be made available. Using solid fuels less often and using only low smoke fuels is the best way to reduce this source of air pollution.

In addition, the national Clean Air Strategy, currently being finalised by my Department, will commit us to further cutting levels of the most damaging and dangerous pollutants in order to help us move towards the guideline limits recommended by the World Health Organisation. The Strategy will also identify and promote the integrated measures and actions across Government that are required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner air, while delivering on wider national objectives.