Legal and health experts are pushing for a toughening of Ireland\u2019s approach to air pollution as new air quality standards loom.<\/p>\n
Their call comes as the Government<\/a> prepares to update its clean air strategy which commits to reducing pollution to World Health Organisation<\/a> (WHO) standards but has yet to achieve the required results. <\/p>\n A public consultation on the strategy is open until February 20th and members of the Climate and Health Alliance will raise the issue with politicians in Leinster House next week. <\/p>\n Barrister Laura Hogan said there were gaps in the air quality monitoring regime, with too few monitoring stations, lack of clear public information and little evidence that local authorities were enforcing the law on polluters. <\/p>\n She said the system used to rate real-time air quality at monitoring stations was unclear. <\/p>\n \u201cIt can appear that air quality is of more favourable status when in reality it is far in excess of what the WHO says is safe,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Rankings from one to three denote \u201cgood\u201d status but anything below one can include a breach of WHO standards. <\/p>\n \u201cCategories four, five and six are \u2018fair\u2019 but if we look at the description of this, fair means adults and children with lung problems and heart problems should consider reducing strenuous activity, especially outdoors,\u201d Hogan said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe difficulty with this is obvious. If air quality is described as fair, it\u2019s going to be quite a misleading term to the public.\u201d <\/p>\n [\u00a0Poor air quality has serious health implications \u2013 how clean is your area?Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n Ireland has 115 monitors and results comply with existing European Union<\/a> standards but those standards are rising to match the tougher WHO standards this year. <\/p>\n They will rise further in 2030 and again in 2040 and should reduce the 1,700 premature deaths from air pollution occurring in Ireland annually. <\/p>\n The Department of the Environment<\/a> says restrictions on the sale of smoky fuels have improved air quality but acknowledges some areas will struggle to meet the higher standards. <\/p>\n An Air Pollution Bill awaiting D\u00e1il<\/a> debate would strengthen local authorities\u2019 powers to enforce standards, increase penalties and introduce on-the-spot fines. <\/p>\n Some towns with persistent air quality problems, including Tralee<\/a>, Enniscorthy<\/a>, Edenderry, Birr, Longford<\/a>, Ennis, Letterkenny<\/a> and Wexford<\/a> all had breaches of WHO standards for PM2.5 over the past week. <\/p>\n PM2.5 is particulate matter<\/a> \u2013 tiny fragments of solids and liquids from burning solid fuels which travel deep into the lungs when inhaled. <\/p>\n \u201cThese particles are so small that they can be absorbed from our lungs into our bloodstream and travel all around our bodies causing damage to almost every organ,\u201d said Mark Murphy, senior policy manager with the Irish Heart Foundation<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cThere is a lack of public and political awareness of air pollution in Ireland and the importance of meeting clean air standards. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have a huge cultural attachment to fireplaces and burning turf and coal, and even wood stoves.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a timeline for the phase-out of remaining solid fuels, as long as we can support those in energy poverty and provide better support for retrofitting.\u201d<\/p>\n