Air Pollution

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 February 2013

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Questions (144)

Joe Higgins

Question:

144. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government since the European Environmental Agency report was published in November 2011 entitled Revealing the Costs of Air Pollution from Industrial Facilities in Europe reporting damage caused by plants in Ireland to the environment and human health at an estimated cost of between €0.7 billion and €1 billion, the persons who have been made accountable for these breaches. [5561/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Industrial installations operating in Ireland are subject to the licensing, monitoring and enforcement requirements of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regime. The activities of companies operating with an IPPC licence are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the terms of their licences are respected, including in relation to emissions.  Under the EPA Acts 1992 to 2011, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases.

The EEA study referenced in the question did not assess whether the emissions of a given installation are consistent with its legal requirements. Monitoring undertaken by the EPA has shown that total emissions from IPPC licensed installations are consistently below the levels prescribed to ensure adequate protection of human health and the environment.