Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
79. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of air monitoring stations that are currently operational on a county basis; the number of these that are currently located at schools; if he plans to expand the network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42874/21]
View answerThe National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme (AAMP), operated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has undergone significant investment and expansion in recent years, with the number of monitoring stations increasing from 30 in 2017 to 96 today.
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.
The siting of these stations is a matter for the EPA and details of their exact locations are available at www.airquality.ie .
A county-by-county breakdown is provided below:
|
Carlow |
1 |
|
Cavan |
1 |
|
Clare |
2 |
|
Cork |
8 |
|
Donegal |
3 |
|
Dublin |
30 |
|
Galway |
2 |
|
Kerry |
2 |
|
Kildare |
3 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
|
Laois |
3 |
|
Leitrim |
1 |
|
Limerick |
7 |
|
Longford |
1 |
|
Louth |
2 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
|
Meath |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
2 |
|
Offaly |
4 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
|
Waterford |
2 |
|
Westmeath |
2 |
|
Wexford |
7 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
|
Total |
96 |
Real-time data from these monitoring stations is available online at all times at www.airquality.ie and the air quality readings are illustrated according to the Air Quality Index for Health.
The AAMP will be expanded further in the coming months to deliver a network of 110 stations, serving to increase the evidential base required to inform the policy measures necessary to improve the quality of our air.
While Ireland has traditionally focused on measurements from monitoring stations to assess air quality, there is a need to provide more local air quality information throughout the country. The intention is that the information generated through monitoring, will be augmented by a newly developed modelling and forecasting capability, which will provide an on-going air quality forecast service to the public.
This work is being developed as part of a new EU LIFE funded project called LIFE EMERALD, which commenced this year. By 2024, this modelling project will deliver a national air quality forecast, a near real-time nowcast, and historical modelled maps along with multiple awareness raising and citizen engagement elements.
