Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - Air Pollution.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

131 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has received any recent information regarding air pollution in various towns and villages in County Kildare; if he can give an assurance that air pollution monitoring equipment is state of the art and capable of identifying precise air pollution levels under various headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5319/01]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. D. Wallace)

The EPA's new Air Quality Monitoring Annual Report 1999, copies of which have been placed in the Oireachtas Library, details air quality recorded at all monitoring stations in 1999, including those in County Kildare, in relation to various air pollutants.

The report shows that levels of smoke and sulphur dioxide, SOf7>2, recorded at Kildare monitoring stations – Leixlip, Celbridge, Naas and Newbridge – in the period April 1999 to March 2000 complied with national and EU air quality standards. It also addresses the measurement of SOf7>2 levels in Leixlip, at much higher levels than those recorded at other sites. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 113 and 114 of 22 June 2000 in this regard. No clear reason is identified for the apparently anomalous high summer time SOf7>2 levels and details of the additional measurement regime now in place to determine the cause of these readings are included in the report. I understand that the elevated SOf7>2 readings have not recently recurred. The matter continues to be investigated by Kildare County Council and the EPA on a precautionary basis and current readings give no cause for concern.

The Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management) Regulations, 1999 (S.I. No. 33 of 1999), designate the EPA as the competent body for assessing ambient air quality in Ireland. This requires, inter alia, ensuring that air quality monitoring equipment is accurate and in accordance with the requirements of European quality assurance standards. My Department has no role in assessing the equipment used. However, it is understood that the reference method for SOf7>2 monitoring in the relevant EU directive, due to come into force on 21 July 2001, is now being used at Leixlip.