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Air Quality

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 February 2022

Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Questions (78)

Patricia Ryan

Question:

78. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to introduce legislation or other measures to improve the air quality around quarries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10394/22]

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Written answers

Air quality in Ireland is protected by a range of legislation and policies, in line with EU and international policy. If required, legislation can also be introduced by the Minister under the Air Pollution Act (1987). There are no plans at present to introduce new legislation in relation to quarries. The Waste Management (Management of Waste from the Extractive Industries) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No 566 of 2009) provide for measures and procedures to prevent or reduce as far as possible any adverse effects on the environment, in particular water, air, soil, fauna and flora and landscape, and any resultant risks to human health, brought about as a result of the management of waste from the extractive industries.

Under Regulation 19(1) each Local Authority is required to establish and maintain a register of all extractive industries within its functional area, including the extraction, treatment and storage of mineral resources, the working of quarries, and the extraction, treatment and storage of peat.

Where air quality is found to be impacted in the environs of a quarry, the matter should be reported to the relevant Local Authority and the Environmental Protection Authority.

Quarries are also subject to planning permission, and control of quarries falls under Section 261 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and, therefore, any potential environment effects such as air quality would fall to be considered by the relevant planning authority for new developments, or for significant expansion of existing permitted extractive industries.

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