COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons

''That this Area Committee calls on the Chief Executive to urgently get South Dublin County Council to draw up an Air Quality Action Plan for estates near the M50 including Knockmitten and that the plan includes how we will stay within agreed EU guidelines.'' 

REPORT:

Ireland has made significant progress in reducing air pollution and improving air quality to the benefit of public health. The EPA has a series of air pollution monitoring stations around Dublin and the data from this network feeds into a map which is displayed using a colour coded system indicating the Air Quality Index for health status. The Knockmitten area is green in colour indicating the air quality index is “good”. Monitoring data is provided in real time in graph format through the EPA website.

There is an air quality monitoring station located in Blachardstown near the junction of the N3 and M50. This would have a similar profile in relation to measuring air quality adjacent to the M50. This station measures particulate matter PM₁₀ and NO₂ which would be associated with vehicle emissions. There have not been any exceedances of NO₂ at this location this year to date or for all of 2018. In relation to PM₁₀ there have been 11 exceedances to date this year of 50 ug/m³. At the Tallaght monitoring station located in Old Bawn we have had 3 exceedances of 50 ug/m³. The monitoring station at Tallaght does not currently monitor NO2 (which is produced through traffic emissions). It monitors PM₁₀ and also SO₂ and is more reflective of a residential location. The particulate matter PM₁₀ daily limit of 50ug m^-3 is deemed breached if more than 35 exceedances occur at a station in a calendar year. Therefore both the Blanchardstown monitoring site and the Tallaght monitoring site to date this year have not breached EU limit values. Also in 2018 neither site breached EU limit values.

The M50 and emissions associated with cars using the motorway would be a pollution source in the South Dublin County Council area. The continued reliance on petrol and diesel cars means that NO₂ levels will remain a pollutant in the area. Given the type of pollution source it is important that action is coordinated across various sectors on a national level. There are a number of national plans being rolled out which are relevant to the source pollution i.e. car use. There are also a range of government measures to promote low carbon transport and taxation on petrol and diesel to encourage the use of electric vehicles.

At a local level South Dublin County Council has put in place a number of measures through the enforcement of the Air Pollution Act 1987 and our climate action plan 2019 to 2024 which help improve air quality in the region including neighbourhoods. Climate action plan measures include the on-going replacement of council vehicles with more energy efficient alternatives including electric vehicles, promotion of cycling in the region through bike schemes and improved cycling facilities. Additional actions undertaken to improve air quality in the local area include the enforcement of the smoky coal ban, the investigation of air pollution complaints and the enforcement of VOC regulations and DECO compliance visits to vehicle re-finishers in the area.

Under the Air Pollution Act 1987, air emissions have been improved as a result of monitoring and investigation of complaints from the public.

Air quality of the area is a consideration in all large planning applications. Where Environmental Impact Assessment Reports are required for planning permission for larger developments the assessment of the possible effects on air quality is an integral element of the process and planning conditions are set accordingly. 

As previously mentioned a national approach is needed to help combat traffic emissions on a large scale. Local resources which bring about improvements include the accessibility of the Luas to the area, the bus connections to the city including the new bus corridor network and the existing train network. Tackling the traffic management challenges of the South Dublin County Council region and the M50 rests with several agencies and it is proper that the linkages between traffic policy and air quality continue to be emphasised. 

This year the government have through the Climate Action Plan 2019 committed to provide the policy framework necessary to identify and promote integrated measures across Government that are required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner air. 

Regarding an air quality management plan, the Air Pollution Act 1987 (part 5) allows a local authority to make a plan for the preservation and the improvement of air quality in their functional area. Such a plan was developed in 1999 when the four local authorities in the Dublin region developed a regional air quality management plan. This plan was subsequently reviewed in 2009 with a focus to protect the valuable asset of good air in the region over the subsequent four years. Following recorded exceedances of NO₂ limit values in Dublin City in 2009 a more specific regional air quality management plan for the improvement in levels of NO₂ in ambient air was produced at the end of 2011.

This plan sought to reduce NO₂ emissions from the transport sector and power generation processes by moving away from fossil fuels and influencing travel behaviours. Going forward comprehensive climate actions are replacing the need for air quality management plans.