asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on acid rain and its effect on the cultural heritage of this country e.g. damage done to buildings and monuments, building stone which may be corroded by sulphur compounds, medieval stained glass windows, concrete and cement, carbon steel, both coated and uncoated, zinc and galvanised steel, copper and nickel plated steel, bridges and national monuments; if he has plans to deal with any damage done to date; and if the Government have requested a report on this important matter.
Written Answers. - Acid Rain.
348.
Acidity in rainfall is monitored on a monthly basis at eight Irish meteorological stations and on a daily basis at one further station. The monitoring suggests that there has been a gradual but irregular increase in acidity due to increased atmospheric pollution from sources in this country and abroad. The levels revealed are, however, still very satisfactory when compared with more industrialised countries and do not give cause for serious concern about the matters referred to in the question. However, the environmental damage caused in other countries to lakes, forests, monuments and buildings has been well publicised and this country is participating in the action being taken on an international basis to combat the causes of such damage.
Together with the other EEC member states, Ireland is a party to the Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution under which contracting states have undertaken to limit and, as far as possible, gradually reduce emissions of polluting substances such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide which cause acid rain and to engage in research and the collection of data of the causes and levels of acidity in rainfall. The meteorological station at Valentia Island is the most westerly in Europe and the returns from the monitoring carried on there form part of the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme. My Department, in consultation with other interested agencies, are examining the feasibility of extending the scope of this country's participation in that programme.
An Foras Forbartha was recently awarded an EEC research contract to evaluate the effects of acid rain on surface waters in Ireland and, as part of this contract, it is intended to establish further precipitation samplers in the West and East of Ireland.
At EEC level, a draft directive on air emissions from industrial plant is at present under consideration by the Council and we have adopted a positive attitude towards this. In addition, preliminary work on the preparation of comprehensive new air pollution legislation has been carried out in my Department and this will be brought to completion as soon as possible.