asked the Minister for the Environment the estimated cost of making Dublin a smokeless zone; the proportion of the cost he expects to be borne by general taxation and the proportion by householders and others in the private sector; and the date by which he expects all Dublin to have become a smokeless zone.
Written Answers. - Smoke Control Measures.
68.
The extent of the smoke control measures to be applied in Dublin will depend on the number and scope of the special control area orders made by the local authorities concerned. There is no question of making all of Dublin a smokeless zone; compliance with air quality standards for smoke, and with the corresponding EC limit values, is likely to be achieved in Dublin by selective rather than comprehensive application of control measures. It is not, therefore, possible to estimate the extent or cost of necessary measures at this stage without anticipating decisions which can only be made in the context of the formal application of Part IV of the Air Pollution Act, 1987, to particular areas.
The level of State subvention to domestic smoke control measures will be a matter for the scheme of financial assistance under section 45 of the Air Pollution Act, 1987. I am urgently having this scheme prepared and will announce details as soon as possible.
The target date for compliance with air quality standards for smoke in Dublin is the EC deadline of 1 April 1993. As I have said, this should be achievable by partial, rather than complete, smokeless zoning of Dublin.