Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
106. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the improvement in air quality since he introduced the Statewide ban on selling smoky fuels in retail outlets etc.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11068/24]
View answerThe 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.
Local Authorities are responsible for the enforcement of the solid fuel regulations, identifying unauthorised fuels placed on the market and taking measures to counteract any illegal trade. Indications from Local Authorities to date are that there has been a high level of compliance. However, some small issues of illegal trading and non compliant fuel still remain. Officials from my Department are working with the Local Authorities on a number of enforcement projects to tackle this.
It is just over a year since the new regulations came into effect and it was anticipated that it would take some time for households to use old stock they may have purchased before the regulations. In addition, there are many factors that impact air quality as monitored through the monitoring network.
Although it is too early to say the exact impact the regulations have had on our air quality, initial indications from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are that there have been overall improvements in most of the areas where local air quality had been significantly impacted by solid fuel burning. More detail on this will be included in the annual Air Quality in Ireland report which will be published later in the year.
Officials from my Department meet regularly with EPA colleagues to discuss the findings from the network so that they feed into the evaluation of our air quality policy and future policy development through the implementation of the Clean Air Strategy.
It is important that we recognise that these regulations were a necessary step in improving our air, and the positive impact of the regulations on the air quality in our local areas will lead to a positive impact on the health of our communities.
