Outlook

Overall, air quality in Ireland is expected to remain good, due largely to the prevailing clean westerly air-flow from the Atlantic and the relative absence of large cities and heavy industry.

However, ambient concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are likely to remain high in Dublin and Cork due to emissions from traffic.   Levels of particulate matter are highest at traffic influenced sites in cities, and in towns with no ban on bituminous coal. Efforts are required to address both these sources, including reducing traffic emissions in cities and extending the ban on bituminous coal to other areas of the country.  The Clean Air for Europe Directive (2008/50/EC) requires Member States to reduce the urban background concentrations of PM_2.5.  It is likely that a 10 per cent reduction in PM_2.5 levels in Ireland by 2020 will be required.

Emissions to Air

The EPA Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control  licensing regime will continue to control emissions to air from industry to ensure that this sector will not impact on air quality. The strategies to achieve compliance with the EU Directive on National Emissions Ceilings have successfully controlled emissions of sulphur dioxide, ammonia and volatile organic compounds.  Emissions of all three are expected to remain below the prescribed ceilings.  Emissions of NO_x are expected to remain above its ceiling, in the short-term, due to the difficulty in achieving large-scale reductions in emissions from road traffic.