Air Pollution.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2004

Wednesday, 3 March 2004

Questions (48)

Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Question:

118 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the links between air pollution caused by car exhausts and ill health; the steps his Department intends to take to deal with this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7085/04]

Written answers

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

On 5 June 2002, the then Minister for the Environment and Local Government introduced the air quality standards regulations 2002 for the purpose of giving effect to Council Directives 96/62/EC on ambient air quality assessment and management, 1999/30/EC relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air, and 2000/69/EC relating to limit values for benzene and carbon monoxide in ambient air. These regulations are, inter alia, intended to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment from these emissions, which arise as a result of combustion generally but, to a significant extent, from the internal combustion engine.

The regulations: establish limit values and, as appropriate, alert thresholds for concentrations of certain pollutants in ambient air intended to avoid, prevent or reduce harmful effects on human health and the environment as a whole; provide for the assessment of concentrations of certain pollutants in ambient air on the basis of methods and criteria common to the member states of the European Communities; provide for the obtaining of adequate information on concentrations of certain pollutants in ambient air and ensure that it is made available to the public, inter alia, by means of alert thresholds; and provide for the maintenance of ambient air quality where it is good and the improvement of ambient air quality in other cases with respect to certain pollutants.

The Environmental Protection Agency has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of ambient air quality monitoring in Ireland in accordance with EU directives. My Department has no responsibility for monitoring of air quality.