Vol. 534 No. 2
106 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the extent to which he has received information on the levels of air pollution affecting the towns of Naas, Clane, Leixlip, Kilcock, Maynooth and Celbridge, County Kildare; the further extent to which modern air pollution monitoring equipment is available in these locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10335/01]
I refer to the reply to Question No. 131 of 22 February 2001.
The current information available to me comprises the monthly air pollution monitoring returns from Kildare County Council up to January 2001; "Ambient Air Quality in County Kildare, annual report 1999/2000" prepared by the Environmental Health Officer's Service of the South Western Area Health Board; and the EPA report Air Quality Monitoring Annual Report 1999. A copy of the latter, together with an errata list prepared by the EPA in relation to data capture at monitoring stations in, inter alia, County Kildare, is in the Oireachtas Library.
The foregoing publications include data on smoke and sulphur dioxide (SOf7>2) for Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Newbridge. I have no data for Clane, Kilcock or Maynooth, nor in relation to any other pollutants in County Kildare.
The EPA Air Quality Monitoring Annual Report, 1999, now indicates that the levels of both smoke and SOf7>2 recorded at the Kildare monitoring stations with the required 75% of possible daily mean values – all stations for smoke, Celbridge and Naas for SOf7>2 – were low and fully in compliance with national and EU air quality standards. The EPA has also provided me with an assessment of the potential for hydrogen fluoride pollution in Leixlip. Based on information to hand, EPA has indicated general satisfaction with air quality in Leixlip. The EPA Air Quality Monitoring Annual Report, 1999, provides information on monitoring equipment. The reply to Question No. 131 of 22 February 2001 provides additional information on equipment in Leixlip.
In furtherance of its obligations to implement environmental monitoring programmes, the EPA published the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme – A Discussion Document – in August 2000. This has been circulated by the EPA for comment, primarily to local authorities, and made available on request. It provides further information on air pollution monitoring equipment in use currently and on that required for reporting under forthcoming EU directives. A copy will be provided to the Deputy.
