Written Answers Nos. 41-60
42. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the efforts being made to tackle waiting times for addiction services within prisons; the funding that has been allocated to this within the budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44103/23]
View answerThe Irish Prison Service provides a health care service for people with addictions in a structured, safe and professional way in line with international best practice. The Prison Service continues to be committed to, and involved with, the National Drugs Strategy in partnership with community colleagues and organisations.
I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service engages Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) to provide a prison-based addiction counselling service across the entire Irish Prison Service estate with the exception of Arbour Hill Prison where there is currently no clinical need for such a service. The addiction counselling service includes structured assessments and evidence-based counselling interventions, with clearly defined treatment plans and goals.
The MQI service provides a range of counselling and intervention skills related to substance misuse and dependency. These skills include, motivational interviewing and enhancement therapy, a twelve step facilitation programme, cognitive behavioural therapy and harm reduction approaches. Prisoners are offered one to one counselling and group work interventions. The service also responds to prisoners in crisis, providing brief emergency interventions when required.
In the larger Prisons, the average waiting period can be up to twelve weeks. However, the Irish Prison Service and MQI continue to prioritise prisoners that are in greatest clinical need. If there are concerns raised following a medical assessment, an individual is prioritised and will be seen as soon as possible. In addition, where waiting lists are high and facilities are available, MQI offers group counselling as an alternative to one-to-one session, to enable access to as many people as possible. MQI also operate a phone-line which is available between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, this facility allows prisoners to access counsellors over the phone as necessary and can also make appointments and follow up on issues of concern. This phone line receives an average of 106 calls per week. Furthermore those who are closer to release are prioritised and MQI will identify available services in the community in order to ensure that there is continuity of care.
The Irish Prison Service is currently working closely with MQI to tackle the waiting times across the estate and particularly in Prisons where the waiting times are longer. Innovations include the trialing of a new triage model which should address the waiting list in Cloverhill Prison. MQI will also relocate Addiction Counsellors to sites where the current waiting list is longer and will use third party addiction counsellors on a temporary basis. In addition, the Prison Service continues to invest in video call technology and it is envisaged that there will be an even greater use of video technology to provide support to those in need.
The Irish Prison Service currently allocates in excess of €1million per annum to the addiction counselling service.
It will also be of interest to the Deputy to know that the Prison Service is currently working to update and publish a new “Drug Strategy 2023 – 2026” by the final quarter 2023. This strategy will re-affirm the commitment to working steadfastly to reduce the harm of drug use within the prison population. This strategy will set out practical goals to increase support for security measures to prevent access, education and information programmes to deter trafficking, and promote drug treatment and counselling services in collaboration with government and non-government partners to help tackle the insidious threat posed by illegal drug use and trafficking.
In addition the Irish Prison Service is developing a bespoke, peer-led recovery model to support people in custody who face addiction difficulties. Part of this peer led recovery model will provide for co-occurring difficulties associated with mental health and addiction.
43. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Taoiseach the number of jobs created by year in Cork from 1 January 2018 to the most up-to-date figures available for 2023 [44405/23]
View answerThe exact information requested by the Deputy is not available.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State.
Due to the methodology and sample size of the survey it is not possible to produce reliable county estimates from the LFS.
Regional estimates of employment are produced by NUTS 3 level. NUTS are the geocode standard developed and regulated by Eurostat.
The NUTS 3 South-West region includes counties Cork and Kerry.
The table below shows the number of persons aged 15 years and over in employment in the NUTS 3 South-West region from Q1 2018 – Q2 2023.
As the table shows the overall stock of persons employed at given points in time, the annual change which is calculated using these stock figures depends both on the number of jobs lost and jobs created over the period in question.
The LFS does not record whether a job is newly created.
In Q1 2018 there were 314,800 persons aged 15-89 in employment (based on standard ILO criteria) in the South-West region. In Q2 2023 there were 377,100 persons aged 15-89 employed in the South-West. This is an increase of 62,300 persons or 19.8%.
Number of employed persons (ILO) aged 15 - 89 years classified by NUTS3 South-West region, Q1 2018 - Q2 2023, 000s.
Employed persons (ILO) aged 15 - 89 years
Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS), Central Statistics Office, Ireland.
Data may be subject to future revision.
Data may be subject to sampling or other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values or estimates of change.
Reference period: Q1 Jan-Mar,Q2 Apr-Jun,Q3 Jul-Sep,Q4 Oct-Dec.
44. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if an online passport application for a child (details supplied) living in the North that was submitted on 14 August 2023 will issue on time for their travel date 23 October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44285/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued a passport to the applicant.
45. Deputy John Brady asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a passport application (details supplied) given the application has passed the target issue date and the applicants travel date is imminent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44306/23]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service requested further documents for the application. The application cannot proceed until the required supporting documents have been received.
46. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide details of the judgements made against Ireland in the Court of Justice of the European Union in each of the past five years in respect of matters which are the responsibility of his Department; the nature of the cases and judgements in question; the total amount in euro of fines and/or penalties paid to date associated with each adverse finding broken down by amount paid by day, week, month and so on, as per the judgement; the remedial procedures, if any, that have been undertaken by the State to address each of the judgements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44331/23]
View answerThere have not been any judgements made against Ireland in the Court of Justice of the European Union in each of the past five years in respect of matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Department of the Taoiseach.
47. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of requests received for personal security clearance received from those not employed by a Government Department or body under the aegis of a Government Department; the number of which were subsequently directed to an Garda Síochána in each of the years 2019 to date; the average processing time, by category, academic, enterprise, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44364/23]
View answerMy Department is currently collating information relating to Personal Security Clearance Certificates and will provide this information to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
48. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application can be processed for a person (details supplied); if the issue with resubmission links and security questions can be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44403/23]
View answer49. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of a foreign birth registration for a person (details supplied); if a refund will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44417/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together.
The applicant has made separate applications for entry into the Foreign Births Register and a passport. In both cases the relevant fees have been paid.
At present, the applicant is not an Irish citizen and thus has no entitlement to a passport. On this basis, the submitted passport application will be cancelled and arrangements will be made to refund the paid passport fee to the applicant in the next few weeks.
With regard to the specific FBR application about which the Deputy has enquired, further supporting documents for the application were requested from the applicant. The application cannot proceed until the required supporting documents are submitted.
50. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the expenditure in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 on generators purchased to provide dispatchable power to the grid when other sources are not supplying sufficient quantities. [44238/23]
View answerThe Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has a statutory responsibility to ensure security of electricity supply. A key mechanism to achieve this is to ensure sufficient dispatchable generation capacity which is delivered through the Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM) under the overall regulatory supervision of the Single Electricity Market Committee (SEMC). The dispatchable generation capacity sought via the Capacity Remuneration Mechanism auctions are delivered by developers in the open market to be enduring capacity that will support an up to 80% renewable powered electricity system into the 2030s. The successful and expeditious delivery of all capacity market projects is a critical component in ensuring enduring security of supply.
The operation of the CRM is currently being reviewed by the SEMC and recommendations are expected shortly. It is anticipated these recommendations will further support delivery of this critical infrastructure.
The costs of the CRM are delivered on an auction-by-auction basis and are a matter for the SEMC and CRU. Generation capacity is not exchequer funded but is instead funded through a CRU approved supplier capacity charge in customers bills. The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
In addition to the standard CRM dispatchable capacity, in order to cover an adequacy gap for the next few winters there has been Temporary Emergency Generation (TEG) procured to ensure security of electricity supply. The CRU has advised that significant elements of the Temporary Emergency Generation projects remain under commercial negotiation at this time and therefore cost certainty is not available.
Concerning Exchequer funding for these projects, following on from the EirGrid Act 2022, the Exchequer provided two supplementary estimates to enable timely delivery of these projects – €200m in July and €150m in October 2022. The Department authorised €151m of the amount allocated for release to EirGrid in line with contractual progress by end year 2022 and the balance was returned to the Exchequer. The Exchequer allocation does not equate to the total project costs which will be funded through Transmission Use of System (TUoS) tariffs. Further Exchequer funding is neither budgeted for nor at this time deemed to be required in 2023 to enable completion for these projects.
51. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the quantity of textile waste produced in Ireland annually in each of the years 2020 to 2022, and to date in 2023; the quantity that is recycled in Ireland as part of a circular economy; the amount that is exported internationally; which countries does Ireland export this material to; the volume of same in each of the years 2020 to 2022, and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44254/23]
View answer52. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the way the Government is preparing for the EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles; the new regulation that will require Member States to separate textiles from other waste in January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44255/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 52 together.
At present, Ireland relies, in part, on the export market to meet the processing needs for the volumes of used textiles produced. There are two official sources of data in relation to textiles recycling. The National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO) maintains, and can provide directly, records of annual returns from textile waste operators. The National Transfrontier Shipment Office (NTFSO) also maintains records of exports of used textiles declared as waste. This information is available directly from the NTFSO. This does not include data relating to the export of textiles intended for reuse and not declared as textile waste.
In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency published a report on the Nature and Extent of Post-Consumer Textiles in Ireland which was the first detailed study of textiles and provides important estimates on textiles in Ireland. The report is available at www.epa.ie/publications/circular-economy/resources/nature-and-extent-of-post-consumer-textiles-in-ireland---study-report.php. This report made a series of recommendations, one of which pointed to ‘a pressing need to obtain better data on flows and fate of post-consumer textiles’. Supporting improved data on used textiles is a key priority of my Department and it is planned to commission a research study this year to address the data gaps identified.
To support the delivery of the textiles commitments in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, my department established a Textile Advisory Group in 2022 as a sub-group of the broader Waste Advisory Group, bringing together relevant expertise from industry, community and regulatory bodies. Under an external chair, the Group has been asked to identify key opportunities for Government to promote, facilitate and enable circularity in the textiles’ ecosystem and examine the way in which textiles are designed, produced, used and discarded, moving away from a linear economy to a just, sustainable and circular textile industry. Full information on the work of the Textile Advisory Group can be found at www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/528f7-circular-economy/#textiles.
In terms of developments at EU level, the European Commission launched the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles as part of the Sustainable Products Initiative in 2022. The Textiles Strategy sets a 2030 Vision, whereby textile products placed on the EU market are long-lived and recyclable, to a great extent made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced respecting social rights and the environment. Ireland is fully supportive of the proposed measures in this Strategy which are fully consistent with the textile commitments contained in the Government's Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.
Regarding the separate collection of textile requirement in the EU Waste Framework Directive, and within the framework of the Textile Advisory Group, the Local Authority Sector is leading a sub-working group on Post-Use Textiles. Those deliberations are on-going, but I expect to receive recommendations from the Textile Advisory Group process before the end of the year.
Question No. 52 answered with Question No. 51.
53. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the quantity of recycled materials that Ireland exports every year per source material; the countries to which this is exported; the quantities for same in each of the years 2020 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44256/23]
View answerDublin City Council is designated as the National Competent Authority for the export, import and transit of waste shipments under S.I. No. 419 of 2007 Waste Management (Shipments of Waste) Regulations, 2007. These Regulations give effect to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1013/2006 on transfrontier shipments of waste, which sets out notification procedures, specifies waste listings and strengthens enforcement provisions in relation to waste movements within, into and out of the European Union.
Provisions of the Waste Shipment Regulation require that all exports of waste from the European Union destined for disposal shall be prohibited. The enforcement and monitoring of shipments of waste to and from Ireland is maintained by the National Transfrontier Shipments Office (NTFSO) within Dublin City Council, which monitors and enforces these requirements and maintains statistics and information on shipments of waste to and from Ireland.
The NTFSO maintains records for all amber list waste import and export shipments which take place in a particular calendar year. A record is also maintained of all green list waste returns filed with the office by registered brokers/dealers. These lists provide details on the destination country associated with the respective shipments.
The NTFSO Waste Registers are available at the following link www.dublincity.ie/residential/environment/national-tfs-office/ntfso-waste-shipment-registers.
54. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline which public body has responsibility for ensuring compliance with section 15.1 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 on film productions which are in receipt of funding under Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997. [44259/23]
View answerAs the Deputy has referenced, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2015 (as amended by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021) gives legal underpinning for climate action by the public sector. It requires all public and prescribed bodies under the Act to perform their functions in a manner consistent with our climate ambition, which includes all Government Departments and public sector bodies.
Public bodies that have an obligation to report under the Energy Efficiency Monitoring and Reporting (M&R) System have a responsibility to achieve emissions reduction targets. [The definition of public sector body for the purpose of tracking emissions is based on that used in SI No 426/2014 – European Union (Energy Efficiency) Regulations 2014].
In addition to the above, to support public sector bodies leading by example, a climate action mandate applies to all bodies covered by decarbonisation targets, with the exception of Local Authorities, commercial semi state bodies, and the school sector. Local Authorities are required by the 2015 Act (as amended by the 2021 Act) to develop and implement Local Authority Climate Action Plans. A climate action framework applies to the commercial semi state sector. The Department of Education has responsibility for a school sector climate action mandate.
I am advised by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media that under section 481, referred to in the Deputy’s question, a film production company must apply to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in advance of commencing the film for a ‘cultural certificate’. This is confirmation that the film is a qualifying film for the purposes of the tax relief. A production company that has received a cultural certificate, and that meets the other requirements under section 481 then makes a claim through the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
A production company would not have obligations under section 15 of the 2015 Act. The Deputy may wish to note, however, that for the period 1st January 2023 to date, 26 of the 30 largest projects applying for Section 481 relief (in terms of ‘Eligible Expenditure’), used the Albert Carbon Calculator. This is a leading international tool for measuring sustainable production, which enables producers to track and measure the carbon impact of their production with a view to implementing carbon saving actions on-set.
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (the national agency for the Irish film, television drama, animation and documentary industry) has also been working to support the Irish screen industry to reduce its carbon impact. Since 2022, It is mandatory for film, TV and animation projects funded by Screen Ireland to complete a carbon calculator. Earlier this year, Screen Ireland launched a new Sustainability Advisor fund enabling Screen Ireland funded projects to apply to cover the cost of hiring a Sustainability Advisor to implement new, innovative, sustainable practices on projections.
Screen Ireland will shortly be launching a new Sustainability Fund which will support the lowering of emissions across all productions. The agency will also shortly launch a set of sustainability standards for all Screen Ireland funded projects.
Calculation and certification for Irish film, television and animation projects funded by Screen Ireland is handled by Albert and administered by Screen Greening. The newly formed Comisiún na Meán is currently reviewing the system for Sustainability Calculation and Certification of Irish funded projects in due course.
Developing sustainable practices in the screen industries is somewhat new but progress is being made at good pace and with Ireland being at the forefront of helping develop these new practices.
55. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the quantity of soft plastics that is recycled in Ireland in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; what infrastructure exists to recycle soft plastics; if there are plans to develop this infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44265/23]
View answerThe EPA is the competent authority for the collation of national waste statistics and reports annually on Ireland’s performance against a range of European waste directive and regulations. These reports are available at National Waste Statistics | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie).
Waste management planning, including with regard to infrastructure provision, is the responsibility of local authorities under the Waste Management Act 1996. While I have no direct role in relation to the provision of waste infrastructure, the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, contains a number of measures to develop and maintain indigenous treatment capacity, including:
• Increased segregation of waste to support investment (for example, through the introduction of incentivised pricing for commercial waste, the introduction of the recovery levy and increase in the landfill levy, the continued rollout of brown bins - all delivered);
• Consolidation of waste management planning into a single national National Waste Management Plan replacing the current three regional plans (due for publication by the local government sector shortly);
• Inclusion of soft plastics on the agreed list of materials that can be placed in the mixed dry recycling bin (introduced September 2021);
• Review of the existing legislation and procedures that regulate the development of waste infrastructure with a view to simplifying and streamlining (underway through the new Planning and Development Bill 2023 and review of the Environmental Protection Acts).
56. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a property owner (details supplied) will avail of high-speed broadband. [44266/23]
View answerIn December 2022, my Department published Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy which supports the ambition outlined in the National Digital Strategy and sets out a number of ambitious targets, including that:
• all Irish households and businesses will be covered by a Gigabit network no later than 2028
• all populated areas will be covered by 5G no later than 2030, and
• digital connectivity will be delivered to all schools and broadband connection points by 2023
These targets will be achieved through commercial operators investing in their networks, complemented by the State’s National Broadband Plan intervention. When taken together, all premises in the State will have access to high-speed broadband in every part of the country no matter how remote.
Commercial operators’ fibre rollouts are progressing at pace. Open eir have already passed over 25,100 homes and businesses in Co. Westmeath with gigabit services, with a further c11,000 to be passed over the next 2 – 3 years, bringing their total fibre-based investment in the county to over €15m. Other commercial operators are also continuing to increase their network footprint right across County Westmeath, with SIRO recently passing over 15,800 premises for full fibre, and Virgin Media passing over 13,300 premises.
The National Broadband Plan intervention contract provides for the roll out of a high speed and future-proofed broadband network to primarily rural areas. The intervention area covers over 1.1 million people living and working in over 560,000 premises, including almost 100,000 businesses and farms along with some 679 schools.
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) have advised that the premises referred to in the question is at a status of “Ready to Connect” and an order can now be placed for fibre broadband through one of the local providers in the area. Further details can be found at Order Now - NBI
I am also advised by NBI that, as of 29th September 2023, 182,250 premises are passed across 26 counties and available for immediate connection. 55,209 premises are already connected to the NBP high-speed broadband network.
As of 30th September 5,855 premises in County Westmeath are passed with a high-speed fibre broadband network and available for immediate connection with 2,143 premises now connected.
Commercial operators and NBI will continue work in County Westmeath, and all counties, over the next three years to complete their fibre rollouts and all efforts are bring made to speed up to the rollout. My Department is working extremely hard with Local Authorities to ensure any barriers encountered by these operators are dealt with quickly through day to day engagement and through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Task force.
Further details are available on specific areas within County Westmeath and can be monitored via nbi.ie/reps. A county update can be selected to provide the overall number of premises in the Intervention Area, the overall NBP investment in the county, the number of premises passed and connected to date and the status of each of the Deployment Areas with the anticipated date for connection over the lifetime of the project. NBI has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie, which can be used by Oireachtas members for specific queries. `
Recent ComReg data shows that Quarter 2, 2023 saw a 7.4% increase in fibre broadband subscriptions compared to the first 3 months of the year, and a 33.7% increase when compared to Quarter 2 of 2022. This demonstrates that take-up of fibre connectivity for homes and businesses is increasing massively as it is deployed to areas where it had previously been unavailable. The same ComReg data also indicates that c.40% of homes and business throughout the State now have access to gigabit services through either fibre (576,856) or cable (359,669) infrastructure.
57. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44268/23]
View answerThe Department is currently finalising the Energy Security Package which will address the energy security challenges facing Ireland in the broader context of transitioning Ireland to net-zero by 2050. Six key pillars of analysis underpin the overall response and recommendations which will be presented in the forthcoming Energy Security Package:
• The Review of the Energy Security of Ireland’s Electricity and Gas networks, the studies by Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA) to support this and the 450+ consultation responses to this analysis
• The Independent Review of the Security of Electricity Supply (the McCarthy Report).
• The conclusion of National Energy Security Framework (NESF)
• The Government hosted Summit on Energy Independence in July 2023
• The Climate Action Plan (CAP)
• Ongoing policy analysis on oil security of supply
I engaged Mr. Dermot McCarthy, former Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach and to the Government, to conduct the independent review into the circumstances requiring emergency measures to be introduced to secure electricity supply over the coming winters. On receipt and consideration of the independent review by Mr Dermot McCarthy, I decided that, given the Department is developing further energy security analysis, it would be better to publish the McCarthy report as a pillar for the overall Energy Security Package.
I continue to engage with my Department officials to finalise the Package and I have committed to bring my energy security recommendations to Government for consideration in the coming weeks.
58. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide details of the judgements made against Ireland in the Court of Justice of the European Union in each of the past five years in respect of matters which are the responsibility of his Department; the nature of the cases and judgements in question; the total amount in euro of fines and/or penalties paid to date associated with each adverse finding broken down by amount paid by day, week, month and so on, as per the judgement; the remedial procedures, if any, that have been undertaken by the State to address each of the judgements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44329/23]
View answerNo judgements have been made against Ireland in the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the past five years in respect of matters which are the responsibility of my Department. Accordingly, there are no cases where fines have been levied or are being paid resulting from such CJEU judgements by my Department in that timeframe.
59. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to review correspondence (details supplied) from Bord Gáis; if he can clarify if this meets procedures where feeding electricity from solar panels back in the home is concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44351/23]
View answerResponsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is an independent regulator, accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas and not the Minister. The CRU was assigned responsibility for the regulation of the Irish electricity sector following the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 and subsequent legislation. The CRU is responsible for the retail electricity market and the regulation of customer complaints procedures, including the matter referred to in this Parliamentary Question. Therefore, the Minister has no statutory function in this matter.
The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them raise questions on genera
60. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications whether a study would be conducted on the noise and air pollution present in Innishannon village centre. [44386/23]
View answerThe national air quality monitoring stations are operated, maintained, and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme. All stations collect air quality data for a range of pollutants to provide information to the public, and for assessment against European legal limit values and World Health Organisation guideline values. The EPA produce an annual report on Air Quality in Ireland which provides an overview of our air quality and key issues that impact upon it.
The European Communities (Environmental Noise) Regulations 2018, as amended, transpose Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise, as amended by Directive (EU) 2015/996. Those Regulations provide for the implementation in Ireland of a common approach within the European Union intended to avoid, prevent or reduce on a prioritised basis the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to exposure to environmental noise. It also designates the noise mapping and action planning bodies with supervisory oversight from the Environmental Protection Agency.
In relation to Strategic Noise Mapping, the legislation requires Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Local Authorities to undertake strategic noise mapping every five years for all major roads carrying in excess of 8,250 annual average daily traffic. Once strategic noise maps have been produced, the results are used for each Local Authority to develop Noise Action Plans as required by the Environmental Noise Regulations.
It is not the role of the Minister to commission a study on air or noise pollution for any specific location. If there are particular concerns regarding the level of air or noise pollution in Innishannon it would be up to the Local Authority to determine if a study should be commissioned.
