Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 1

Written Answers. - Ozone Damage.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

98 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will act on the findings of research carried out at the University of California at Davis showing that ozone damages the lungs of growing infants and causes asthma. [5067/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The magazine article referred to by the Deputy suggests that smog, and particularly the ozone constituent of smog, damages the lungs of infants and may cause asthma. Exposure of very small children or indeed persons generally to smog is detrimental to the respiratory system. Smog associated with residential coal burning, which was a feature of Dublin and other urban areas, has been largely eliminated due to effective smoke control measures. Other emissions, particularly from road traffic, now pose the greatest threat to air quality.

I am advised that air quality is assessed in relation to national and EU standards for a variety of pollutants, including ozone, by local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Concentrations of ozone are currently monitored at a number of locations in compliance with an EU Directive on air pollution and the levels recorded are normally very low. The directive establishes thresholds for ozone above which there may be effects on human health. These thresholds are consistent with guidelines recommended by the World Health Organisation. The EPA has drawn up a national air quality monitoring programme which places greater emphasis on data dissemination and the need to keep the public fully informed.