COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

MOTION NO.20

MOTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy

That the Chief Executive carries out air quality monitoring at night time in the vicinity of Esker Hill to Vesey Park - there is a smell of material being burned at night times in the vicinity so that the air is almost suffocating- also Esker Lawns and Cherbury - that needs investigating.

REPORT:

SDCC currently have a permanent air monitor located on the R120 adjacent to St Patricks catholic Church. This monitor measure PM10 and NO₂ and in 2025 there were no exceedance under Ambient Air Quality Standards Regulations 2022. Under Ambient Air Quality and Cleaner Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive the daily limit for PM10 is 50 ug/m3. The limit is deemed breached if more than 35 exceedances occur during the year. The hourly limit for NO₂ is 200 ug/m3. The limit is deemed breached if more than 18 exceedances occur during the year. Neither of these figures were exceeded on any days in 2025.

In addition in 2021 and 2022 SDCC participated in a pilot scheme to monitor NO₂ levels. Diffusion tubes were installed at various location throughout the county which passively monitored for four week periods. Two of the locations were Esker Hills Willsbrook Park and Chapel Hill Lucan Village. Over the course of the project the results ranged from 7 to 29 micrograms/ m₃ which is noted to be indicative of low levels of atmospheric NO₂ and do not exceed EU NO₂ emission limit values.

This query will be investigated by the Environmental Health section. If there are any contact details from effected parties that the Environmental Health Officer can liaise with could they be forwarded on as this will aid the investigation.