Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2014
568. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which monitoring continues to take place in respect of air and water pollution; if particular trends have become noticeable arising from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46354/14]
View answerAir quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants based on data obtained from the 29 monitoring stations that form the national ambient air quality network. The EPA also publishes an annual report on air quality, based primarily on the monitoring requirements of the CAFE Directive. The most recent report, Air Quality in Ireland 2013 – Key Indicators of Ambient Air Quality, which is available on the EPA website at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/air/quality/#.VHxgeWyvkdV, was published in October 2014 and provides an assessment of air quality in Ireland for 2013, compared to the CAFE Directive standards as well as assessments in relation to more stringent World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality guidelines for the protection of human health.
Downward trends have been identified for many pollutants and Ireland currently meets all EU standards for air quality but exceeds WHO air quality guidelines for particulate matter in some areas. Particulate matter levels are of concern, particularly during the winter heating season in areas where the sale of smoky coal is permitted. As a result, levels of particulate matter in smaller towns are similar or higher than those in cities, where smoky coal is banned. To help protect our good air quality the Irish consumer must become more aware of their choice in home heating fuel and the potential impact that choice can have on air quality in their locality and on human health.
Nitrogen dioxide levels (NO2) levels showed a slight increasing trend in the years 2008 2010. During this period, NO2 levels were close to the CAFE limit value at traffic- congested areas in Dublin City and Cork City. However, NO2 levels decreased from 2010-2012. This downward trend may have stabilised in 2013. To further reduce NO2 levels in cities, we must develop and implement policies to reduce travel demand, emphasising sustainable transport modes such as cycling, walking and public transport and improving the efficiency of motorised transport.
In respect of monitoring of water quality, the EPA, local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute collectively monitor rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters, and groundwater quality under the Water Framework Directive on a three-year cycle. This extensive national monitoring programme, covering 13,000 km of river channel, 222 lakes, 128 transitional and coastal water bodies and 205 groundwater monitoring locations, provides a good overview of current water quality and trends as they develop.
Rivers and groundwaters have shown a slight improvement up to 2012. Lake waters have shown a slight disimprovement, while transitional and coastal waters generally remained stable. There has been a notable decline in the incidence of serious pollution events in rivers from 39 sites in the 2004-2006 period, to 20 sites in the 2007-2009 period and currently down to 11 sites. However, the period has also been marked by a steady decline in the number of river sites at high ecological status.
A new national update covering the 2010-2012 period will be available by the end of December 2014. Results for 2013 and 2014 will also be made available in early 2015. In the meantime, this year the EPA has published regional reports covering the south east, Louth/Monaghan and Galway/Mayo/Sligo, including information from 2012 monitoring, and regional reports covering 2013 monitoring are due to be published in the coming weeks. The EPA and local authorities respond to water quality incidents and complaints on an ongoing basis. Details of recent incidents are available on the EPA website and can be accessed at: http://www.epa.ie/news/incidents/recent.
Additional information is available at: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/indicators/00061_EPA_SoE_2012.pdf.
Comprehensive reports on water quality are published by the EPA and are available for download at http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/water/waterqua.
