I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, together.
To protect our environment in regard to air quality, a number of EU Directives set out standards for a wide variety of pollutants. The current standards are contained in the 2008 Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive (Directive 2008/50/EC) and the Fourth Daughter Directive (Directive 2004/107/EC of 15 December 2004). These Directives also include rules on how Member States should monitor, assess and manage ambient air quality.
The EPA is tasked with co-ordinating and managing the monitoring programme. Under the Directives, EU Member States must designate "Zones" for the purpose of managing air quality. For Ireland, four zones were defined in the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011. The zones in place in Ireland in 2015 are Zone A: the Dublin conurbation, Zone B: the Cork conurbation, Zone C: comprising 23 large towns in Ireland with a population of more than 15,000 and Zone D: the remaining area of Ireland. Zones are amended primarily to take account of population trends emerging from census results. The zones were last amended on 1 January 2013 to take account of results from the 2011 CSO Census and to align with the coal restricted areas set out in Regulations in 2012.
Ireland has a nationwide network of 31 monitoring stations which measure levels of air pollutants in the four zones. This information is delivered to the public in near real-time at www.airquality.epa.ie.
The numbers and locations of the monitoring equipment for each pollutant, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), are determined by the requirements of the Directives for ambient air monitoring in each zone. Particulate matter is harmful to health and it is accepted among health officials that exposure to PM10 and PM2.5 should be reduced. In cities, traffic emissions are the main source of particulate matter while in smaller towns, emissions from domestic solid fuel combustion are often the primary source. The air quality in cities benefits from the ban on smoky coal, as well as the increased use of gas for residential heating. The monitoring of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is carried out at a representative number of monitoring locations in each of the four zones and meets the requirements of the CAFE Directive - it is not considered necessary to monitor for particulates at all 31 stations.
In April 2013, the EPA launched Ireland’s new Air Quality Index for Health (AQIH). This web-based index, developed in conjunction with the Health Service Executive and my Department (including Met Eireann), displays the current air quality across Ireland, by means of a coloured scale of 1 – 10, divided into four bands (good, fair, poor and very poor) with health advice provided for each band. The AQIH is calculated hourly and is represented on a colour-coded map of Ireland, from which the public can easily assess information about current air quality in their area. The Air Quality Index for Health can be viewed at www.airquality.epa.ie. The pollutants included in the index are: ozone; nitrogen dioxide; sulphur dioxide; PM10; and PM2.5. To coincide with the launch of the Air Quality Index for Health, the EPA also launched a Twitter channel @EPAAirQuality, through which the public can receive tweets on the status of air quality in their region every day.
The EPA has commenced preparation of a draft national ambient air monitoring programme under Section 65 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (as amended) which will provide the basis and options for the continued development and expansion of the national ambient air monitoring network. The development of the national ambient air monitoring programme will include a review of the adequacy of the current network for both determining compliance with European and national standards for air quality and for the provision of information to the public about local air quality. Stakeholder consultation on the draft national ambient air monitoring programme will commence in April 2016.
