Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2004
66 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to the publication of the 2003 discussion document on controlling SO2 and NOX, when will the national strategy for the attainment of the national ceilings in these gases be detailed and published. [16602/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra275 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to the publication of the 2003 discussion document on controlling SO2 and NOX, when the national strategy for the attainment of the national ceilings in these gases will be detailed and published. [16811/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 275 together.
On foot of public consultation in 2003 on a discussion paper for a strategy to reduce emissions of transboundary air pollution by 2010, a number of detailed submissions were received by my Department. These are available on the Department's website. The consultation process is informing the ongoing development of a draft strategy to reduce the national emissions concerned to the required levels by 2010. I intend bringing the strategy to Government for approval later this year, prior to publication.
In the context of the strategy preparation, I made the National Emission Ceiling Regulations 2004 on 13 January 2004. These specify national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and ammonia to be achieved by 2010 under the strategy.
Other measures relevant to the strategy are being actively pursued. I submitted a national emission reduction plan for large combustion plants to the European Commission for assessment in November 2003. The plan, under Directive 2001/80/EC, on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants from large combustion plants with a rated thermal input greater than 50 MW, requires significant reductions of emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from older ESB power plants and boilers in Aughinish Alumina from 2008. This ambitious environmental measure has been undertaken as a direct response to Ireland's obligations under the EU directive on national emission ceilings.
