Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

206. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware of the issues regarding air pollution in Cork and the health risks associated (details supplied); the steps his Department is taking in order to meet the World Health Organisation’s target for air pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14162/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is currently not in exceedance of any of our legal requirements for air quality levels. The EPA air quality monitoring network is used to determine our compliance with legal limits and all relevant data is available from www.airquality.ie.

Amendments to the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive have set more stringent legally binding limits for Ireland to achieve by 2030 and plans are in development to support the achievement of these levels.

Furthermore, the Clean Air Strategy published in 2023 sets out our ambition in relation to reaching the WHO guidelines by 2040 and provides a roadmap on how this will be achieved.

My Department continues to promote the importance of air quality on health. It also continues to work with key stakeholders to ensure continuous reductions in air pollution, which in Ireland is predominantly caused by solid fuel burning and transport. Practical measures to date include the 2022 Solid Fuel Regulations, communications campaigns and supporting local authority enforcement.

Last year my Department engaged with three local authorities with higher levels of solid fuel related air pollution as part of a pilot project to determine how best to tackle this issue. Officials in my Department are currently working on the next phase of this project, which will also involve tackling emissions from transport in particular areas around the country, including Cork City.