Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2023
178. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has access to any research conducted on the presence of ultrafine particulate pollution from aircraft around any of Ireland's commercial airports. [2717/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the designated authority for monitoring air quality in Ireland. Under the national Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme, which has received significant investment from my Department in recent years, the number of monitoring stations have increased from 29 in 2017 to 108 today.
The EPA monitors a range of air pollutants, including fine particulate matter, otherwise known as PM2.5. These are particles with a diameter of 2.5m or less. Ultrafine particulate pollution is defined as particles with a diameter of just 1m or less. My Department is unaware of any research conducted into the presence of ultrafine PM from aircraft at Ireland’s commercial airports.
