Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 4

Written Answers. - Air Quality.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

148 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the way in which he provides the resources to facilitate the monitoring of air pollution; and the extent to which monitoring takes place at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28606/03]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

151 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if air pollution safety guidelines have been exceeded at any location throughout the country in the past 12 months; if so, the extent to which; the number of occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28609/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 151 together.

Air quality assessment is a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and air quality management is a matter for local authorities informed by air quality measurement data. The resourcing of these activities, including relevant air quality monitoring, are matters for the EPA and local authorities, as appropriate, within their annual budgetary processes. Funding comes from a variety of sources including, in the case of local authorities, commercial rates, fees and charges for services and general purpose grants from the local government fund, and in the case of the EPA, from Exchequer funding, income associated with relevant EPA licensing activities and from the environment fund.

The reporting and making available of information on ambient concentrations of pollutants within the scope of the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2002 is the responsibility of the EPA. The Air Quality Monitoring Report 2001, published by the EPA on 6 March 2003, contains details of the monitoring and assessment of national air quality; a copy is available in the Oireachtas Library. This report indicates that NO2 emissions at one site in Dublin city, Wood Quay, exceeded the limit value applicable during 2001. The report discusses the anomalous nature of the readings at the site compared to similar sites in the city and recommends further monitoring of concentrations in order to resolve the anomalous findings and develop an adequate time series of emissions on which to base any decision for action that may be necessary.

Question No. 149 answered with Question No. 146.