Vol. 392 No. 4
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of lead pollution monitors throughout the country; the type of technology which is in use in each monitor; the location of each monitor; and the readings registered for the last three years.
142.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of air pollution monitors throughout the country; the type of technology which is in use in each monitor; the location of each monitor; and the readings registered for the last three years, including levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 142 together.
Local authorities are obliged to carry out monitoring for the purposes of performing their functions under the Air Pollution Act, 1987, for ensuring that relevant air quality standards established by way of regulations made under the Act are being complied with, and for the implementation of EC exchange of information decisions.
A circular letter which issued to local authorities in October 1987 gave general advice regarding the monitoring of air quality standards and included a direction under section 54 of the Act by the Minister for the Environment requiring certain local authorities to monitor for specific pollutants at specified locations within their functional areas. In addition, certain local authorities maintain other monitoring stations on a voluntary basis. The location of existing local authority air quality monitoring stations is given in the table attached.
Standard measurement techniques are employed as follows:
(a) Suspended particulates and Sulphur Dioxide - as described in British Standards Institution publication BS 1747 (Parts II and III): 1969, corrected as appropriate to provide a satisfactory correlation with the provisions of Council Directive 80/779/EEC;
(b) Lead — in accordance with the criteria outlined in the Annex to Council directive 82/203/EEC; and
(c) Nitrogen Dioxide — in accordance with Annex IV of Council Directive 85/203/EEC (ISO Standard DIS 7996).
It is not feasible to provide all recorded readings for each station over the last three years. However, a summary report on monitoring results is being prepared and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Air Quality Monitoring Locations
|
Pollutant |
Local Authority |
Monitoring Location |
|
Sulphur Dioxide/Suspended Particulates |
Cork Corporation |
Prince's Street Market |
|
Blackpool Fire Station |
||
|
St. Joseph's Cemetery |
||
|
Spangle Hill |
||
|
Fintan's Cemetery |
||
|
Mahon House |
||
|
Cork County Council |
Little Island* |
|
|
Aghada |
||
|
Dublin Corporation |
Brunswick Street |
|
|
RDS |
||
|
Mountjoy Square |
||
|
South Quays |
||
|
Clontarf |
||
|
Herbert Street |
||
|
Bluebell |
||
|
Cabra |
||
|
Rathmines |
||
|
Ballyfermot |
||
|
Old County Road (Crumlin) |
||
|
Kilmore Road* |
||
|
Finglas |
||
|
College Street |
||
|
Dublin County Council |
Swords |
|
|
Santry |
||
|
Clondalkin |
||
|
Neilstown* |
||
|
Tallaght |
||
|
Springfield* |
||
|
Kingswood* |
||
|
Nangor Road* |
||
|
Monksfield* |
||
|
Quarryvale* |
||
|
Dundrum |
||
|
Cappagh |
||
|
Dún Laoghaire* |
||
|
Loughlinstown* |
||
|
Lucan* |
||
|
Blanchardstown* |
||
|
Knocklyon* |
||
|
Brookfield |
||
|
Mulhuddard |
||
|
Galway Corporation |
Public Analysts Laboratory* |
|
|
Grammar School* |
||
|
Fishmarket |
||
|
Leisureland* |
||
|
Limerick Corporation |
Southhill* |
|
|
Moyross* |
||
|
Town Hall* |
||
|
Ballykeefe* |
||
|
Waterford Corporation |
The Palace* |
|
|
Tycor* |
||
|
Dungarvan* |
||
|
Wexford County Council |
St. Aidan's Shopping Centre, Wexford |
|
|
Drogheda Corporation |
Peter Street, Drogheda |
|
|
Lead |
Dublin Corporation |
O'Connell Street |
|
Pearse Street |
||
|
Kilbarrack* |
||
|
Ringsend (The Library) |
||
|
Branch Road |
||
|
College Street* |
||
|
Ringsend (Health Centre)* |
||
|
Ranelagh Road |
||
|
Dublin County Council |
Clondalkin |
|
|
Nitrogen Dioxide |
Dublin Corporation |
Rathmines* |
|
College Street |
*Not specified by ministerial direction under section 54 (5) of the Air Pollution Act, 1987.
141.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of noise pollution monitors throughout the country; the type of technology which is in use in each monitor; the location of each monitor; and the readings registered for the last three years.
The monitoring of noise is a matter for local authorities. Such monitoring would generally be carried out to check compliance with conditions attached to planning permissions or in response to specific complaints and it would, therefore, normally be in operation for short periods of time. My Department do not collect information on the equipment used by local authorities or on noise levels.
143.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of water pollution monitors throughout the country; the type of technology which is in use in each monitor; the location of each monitor; and the readings registered for the last three years, including levels of nitrate.
I would refer the Deputy to the An Foras Forbartha report of December 1986, on Water Quality in Ireland — The Current Position which was published in two parts. Part One, which gives a general assessment of water quality, also contains information on the methods of assessment used, the distance between sampling locations and the factors taken into account when selecting such locations. Part Two contains river quality data which is reproduced for individual sampling locations in respect of biological water quality ratings, supplemented in many cases by physico-chemical data. The report is available in the Oireachtas Library.
The data on which the report is based was generated by monitoring undertaken by An Foras Forbartha, the regional water laboratories at Castlebar, Kilkenny and Monaghan and by various local authorities. The AFF monitoring programme is being continued by the ERU and it is intended that similar reports will be published at regular intervals.
In addition to this work, local authorities undertake a range of monitoring in relation to their water pollution control functions generally. The monitoring programmes, including the location of sampling points, are determined by the local authorities and specific information on them is not available in my Department.
