Consultation on the Clean Air Strategy for Ireland

Clean air is essential for our quality of life. While recent decades have seen significant improvements in air quality in Ireland, air pollution continues to cause damage to both our health and environment. There is a whole of Government commitment to achieve this objective, but it can only be realised through our collective efforts. The changes that are required will have positive economic and societal co-benefits, including cleaner air, warmer homes, better health and lower carbon, moving towards a more sustainable economy for the longer term.

This Clean Air Strategy will provide the high-level strategic policy framework necessary to identify and promote the integrated measures across government policy that are required to reduce air pollution and promote cleaner ambient air while delivering on wider national objectives. The key strategic priorities are:

• To ensure continuous improvements in air quality across the country
• To guarantee the integration of clean air considerations into policy development across Government
• To increase the evidence-base that will help us to continue to evolve our understanding of the sources of pollution in order to address them more effectively
• To enhance regulation and improve the effectiveness of our enforcement systems
• To promote and increase awareness of the importance of clean air

We have developed some questions that you can consider when making your submission.

• Do you agree with the five strategic priorities outlined in the draft strategy?
• Do you feel there are additional strategic priorities which should be included?
• How can pollutant emissions data be better used to inform actions at local and national levels?
• What do you feel are the most important current and emerging air quality issues in Ireland that require further research?
• How can we better increase awareness of the health impacts of air pollution?
• What issues might a national clean air awareness campaign encompass and how could its impact be measured?
• What particular metrics or benchmarks do you think should be considered in tracking the progress of a Clean Air Strategy?
• Are there any other comments you have in relation to the draft national Clean Air Strategy?

The closing date for submissions is 3 May 2022

Short responses (max 500 words) can be submitted on our online form.

Longer submissions can be sent by email to airquality@decc.gov.ie or post to

Clean Air Strategy Public Consultation

Air Quality Division

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

Newtown Road

Wexford

Y35 AP90

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders in a clear, open and transparent manner. Any person or organisation can make a submission in relation to this consultation. All submissions and feedback will be considered before the final version of the Clean Air Strategy is published.

Please note that responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI), Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007-2018 (AIE) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Please also note that we intend to publish the contents of all submissions received to our consultations on our website. We will redact personal data prior to publication. In responding to this consultation, parties should clearly indicate where their responses contain personal information, commercially sensitive information or confidential information which they would not wish to be released under FOI, AIE or otherwise published.

We would like to draw your attention to our Data Privacy Notice which explains how and when we collect personal data, why we do so and how we treat this information. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights.

Summary of Responses

Group/Organisation Submissions

Industry Submissions

Individual Submissions

Individual Submissions