Phil Hogan T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has announced a joint North-South study on all-island air quality to examine air pollution from residential solid fuel, in particular 'smoky' coal, to consider the potential policy options to reduce such emissions with consequential environmental and human health benefits.

The joint North-South study was agreed between Minister Hogan and Alex Attwood M.L.A, Environment Minister for Northern Ireland, at a recent North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Environment Meeting in Dublin. The NSMC Environment Meeting took place following the Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers, which also took place in Dublin from 22-23 April 2013, and which Minister Attwood also attended. Among the issues discussed at the Informal Council was the future development of EU policy on air quality, which is currently under review and which is expected to be published by the European Commission later this year.

During the discussions it was noted that air quality standards set out in the current EU Directives provide only for a minimum level of protection and that significant health impacts occur below these standards. The importance of policy initiatives at local, regional and national level, as well as cooperation between neighbouring Member States, to complement EU policy to tackle air pollution was also emphasised.

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Minister Hogan T.D. said: "2013 has been designated as the EU Year of Air and will see the revision of the EU's Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution with the aim of improving European air quality for the next decade and beyond. This will require improved cooperation among environmental authorities across shared borders. The joint study announced here today is a good example of an initiative taking this approach in practice. North-South cooperation in this area provides an opportunity to further improve air quality for the citizens of this island both North and South.

"It's no secret that I see it as a challenge to introduce a ban on smoky coal across the state within the next 3 years. The health benefits in areas where the ban is already in place are well documented and an All-Ireland ban is the next phase I anticipate in this area. At the start of this month as part of the ongoing national initiative, I added a further seven towns to the smoky coal ban with effect from 1 May 2013 - Greystones, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Navan, Newbridge, Portlaoise and Wicklow."

The Regulations adding these towns to the ban were given effect by Minister Hogan on 31 August 2012. However, a lead-in period was provided to allow local authorities and fuel retailers time to adapt as necessary to the new regulatory requirements in preparation for the switch-over from ‘smoky’ coal. Following the inclusion of these areas, the smoky coal ban will apply in all towns with a population greater than 15,000 people. This will provide for greater consistency in urban air quality standards throughout the State by extending the cleaner air benefits of the ban to all large towns.

(CD)