Action needed on Dublin air quality

Labour Party Transport spokesperson, Senator Kevin Humphreys, has called for urgent action  to be taken to improve air quality in Dublin, raising in the Seanad today the need for local authorities to devise plans to plans to fight emissions and protect the people and air quality of Dublin.

Senator Humphreys said:

“Dublin is undoubtedly one of the most congested cities in Europe, with our air quality being seriously hampered as a result.

“It’s no surprise that the Environmental Protection Agency’s preliminary results earlier this year found that the capital was breaching the EU’s Nitrogen Dioxide levels.

“This is of real concern from a public health perspective, with the World Health Organisation describing air pollution as the ‘single biggest environmental health risk’.

“What’s more, we need to be proactive and put a plan in place with the local authorities to improve our air quality before we are found to be in breach of EU levels and face possible fines.

“Dublin is reaching a crisis point when it comes to our emissions and pollution levels and by not doing anything, we are putting our residents at risk.”