I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 to 75, inclusive, together.
Annual emissions for all air pollutants emitted across Ireland are available from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual Informative Inventory Report which can be accessed at: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/air/airemissions/airpollutantemissions/iir2020/.
The report shows that PM2.5 emissions for 2018 were 12.04kt, almost 63% less than reported in 1990. Emissions from the residential and commercial/institutional sectors were the main contributors with a 55% share, followed by the transport sector at 14%. Heavy Duty Vehicles were responsible for 1.4% of total PM2.5 emissions, with rail contributing 0.4%.
Measures to address all air pollutants are set out in the National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP), which includes the key policies supported and implemented in Ireland that have aimed to reduce emissions from road transport.
The NAPCP details the measures that have been taken to control overall transport emissions, reduce congestion, promote fuel efficiency, and in doing so support health and well-being. An update to this programme is currently being finalised and will be published in the coming weeks.
The EPA is responsible for monitoring ambient air quality in Ireland via the national Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme. All monitoring stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants in order to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organisation guideline values. Real-time data from these monitoring stations is available online at all times at www.airquality.ie.
Particulate matter, from the burning of solid fuel, is estimated to cause 1,300 premature deaths per year in Ireland, and Government is committed to addressing this public health and environmental challenge thorough a nationwide ban on smoky coal and enhanced regulation of other solid fuels.
I have taken an important step in this process by launching a public consultation which is seeking views in relation to the national application of the regulations currently applied to bituminous coal, as well as informing the development of appropriate regulatory controls for other residential solid fuels. This is an opportunity for all parties - consumers, retailers, producers and industry - to consider the issues, input to the process at the earliest stage, and to consider alternatives as appropriate, as we take the actions required to achieve our ambition of cleaner air across all of Ireland.
