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Air Quality Standards/Monitoring

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the competent authority with responsibility for ambient air quality monitoring. Air quality monitoring is undertaken by the EPA and local authorities via the national air quality monitoring network. Results of air quality monitoring can be viewed on the EPA website. The EPA website (external link) provides real-time, publicly accessible, data from a number of monitoring stations nationally which allows the public to gauge air quality in relation to current EU and national standards. 

The EPA's annual reports on air quality contain details of the monitoring and assessment of national air quality, and incorporates data from all air quality monitoring stations operated by the EPA and local authorities.  The Agency's most recent report can be found on the  EPA website (external link)

Ambient air quality monitoring and assessment in Ireland is carried out in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive.  The CAFE Directive consolidated and replaced the earlier Air Quality Framework Directive and first three so-called “daughter” directives.

The CAFE Directive has been transposed into national legislation by the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011, which revoked and replaced three earlier statutory instruments (SI 33 of 1999, SI 271 of 2002 and SI 53 of 2004).

SI 180 of 2011 (external link)

These regulations set limit values/target values for the following pollutants:

  • Sulphur Dioxide
  • Nitrogen Dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen
  • Particulate Matter (PM10  and PM2.5)
  • Lead
  • Benzene
  • Carbon Monoxide and
  • Ozone

The CAFE Directive did not change existing air quality standards but did introduce new obligations relating to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is considered to be especially harmful to human health. Levels of PM2.5 in Ireland are generally low and Ireland is fully compliant with the new CAFE limit values. However, all Member States are required to calculate the current exposure of their population to PM2.5 and to take steps to reduce this exposure by 2020. The final average exposure indicator and national exposure reduction target will be determined in 2012.

In addition to the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2011 there is a further statutory instrument that specifies target values and monitoring requirements for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic hydrocarbons (transposing the fourth ‘daughter’ Directive 2004/107/EC).

SI 58 of 2009 (external link)

Further Information

Environmental Compliance and Air Quality Section,
Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government,
Newtown Rd,
Wexford.
Telephone: +353 (0)53 911 7358
Fax:           +353 (0)53 911 7603

E-mail: airquality@environ.ie

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