National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP)

The National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) is a technical document which outlines the pathway Ireland will follow to achieve compliance with its commitments under the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive).

The National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive) establishes emission ceilings for 2020 and 2030 for five specified pollutants: nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

It also mandates the development of a National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) for each Member State. The format of the NAPCP is set down by the European Commission in implementing decision (EU) 2018/1522, which was adopted on 11 October 2018.

The National Air Pollution Control Programme includes:

• An overview of sectors and national policy frameworks in Ireland that impact on emissions of the five NEC pollutants
• An overview of the current outlook for compliance with NEC targets for each pollutant
• Projections of relevant pollutant emissions to 2030
• Policy options, measures and actions across sectors but in particular in the residential, transport agricultural and energy sectors aimed at reducing emissions of the five specified air pollutants

Ireland has submitted a previous NAPCP in 2019 and an updated version in 2021.

Our most recent submission to the Commission is our second NAPCP for 2024.

A consultation process was held in late 2023 and early 2024 to inform this update. The report has drawn on a selection of recommendations from the consultation process along with cross government policy and measures to outline Ireland’s pathway to compliance.

In developing the NAPCP, and under EU Directive (2001/42/EC), a pre- screening check to determine the need for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) was carried out and the result of the pre-screening process indicates that SEA is not required for the NAPCP.