Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
125. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the forthcoming Clean Air Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10504/24]
View answer131. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 22 November 2023, if he can provide an update on new legislation to strengthen the enforcement powers of local authorities to support increased compliance with the air quality regulations, particularly given recent reports that the regulations are being flouted in some towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10514/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 131 together.
I propose to taking Question No’s 10504, and 10514 together.
Clean air is essential for our quality of life. While recent decades have seen significant improvements in air quality in Ireland, air pollution continues to cause damage to both our health and environment. The European Environment Agency report Air Quality in Europe 2020 indicates that in 2018 there were 1,410 premature mortalities arising from air pollution in Ireland. The vast majority of these, 1,300, are attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which in Ireland is primarily associated with domestic solid fuel burning.
The Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 529 of 2022), which took effect from 31 October 2022, introduced minimum quality standards that apply to all solid fuels distributed throughout the State. This is to ensure that the most polluting fuels can no longer be made available on the Irish market and to assist the public in transitioning to less polluting alternatives.
Air pollution is governed in primary legislation under the Air Pollution Act 1987. Several amendments have been made to the Act over time to ensure it is fit for purpose and can support the requirements of air quality enforcement. However, in more recent years, additional issues have arisen requiring further amending of the legislation.
While originally it was intended to repeal the full Act and replace it with a Clean Air Act as outlined in the Clean Air Strategy, the Department has carried out a full review of the original Act and this analysis confirmed that the Act largely remains fit for purpose, though some of its provisions have been underutilised.
A draft General Scheme for the Air Pollution Act (Amendment) Bill has been developed by the Department and is expected to go to Government for approval for final drafting and circulation to the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action for pre-legislative scrutiny in the coming weeks.
