I welcome this Bill and the opportunity to discuss it and the subject of air pollution with the Minister of State this afternoon. I am glad to see that the Government is strengthening the enforcement of air pollution law and that authorised officers will now have enhanced powers of inspection, sampling and intervention. The introduction of fixed payment notices and compliance notices for more efficient enforcement is a positive change. I am very pleased to see the establishment of fuel registration systems and, I hope, tighter oversight of the fuel supply chain. I also welcome the move to update our definition of air pollution to align it with EU law. These changes are essential and very welcome. This Bill should lead to the fuel market being more tightly controlled and to illegal and high-pollution fuels becoming harder to sell. In turn, this should lead to air quality improvements if, and only if, enforcement is effective. The issue of air pollution sits across many sectors and many Departments so it is important that our approach to it is cross-departmental and that it links climate action, transport, housing, energy and agriculture. This Bill is a positive step but, with its primary focus being on solid fuels and supply chain regulation, we risk ignoring the significant pollution that comes from transport emissions and agricultural activity. That is why a cross-departmental approach is so essential. I ask that further consideration be given to that point when the Government is looking at future legislation on air quality and pollution. Earlier this year, I had the honour of hosting the Climate and Health Alliance in the audiovisual room, where it launched its policy paper, Clean Air - Healthier Ireland. What struck me most about that paper was not simply the quality of the research, which, as I am sure the Minister of State is aware, was exceptional, but also the clarity of the message. Air pollution is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a public health emergency and it is already having a real and measurable impact on people's lives, particularly the lives of those who are most vulnerable. The Climate and Health Alliance is a group of health professionals, researchers and advocates who see the consequences of poor air quality every day. They reminded us that air pollution contributes to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and adverse pregnancy outcomes. As a result, investment in cleaner air not only has a positive impact on the nation's health, but also reduces demand on already stretched health services and supports longer and healthier lives. The group also highlighted how air pollution worsens existing inequalities, with children, older people and low-income communities bearing a disproportionate burden. This is not only a health and environmental issue; it is also a social justice issue. It is worth stating clearly that cleaner air is one of the fastest health wins available to us. Unlike some policy areas, where benefits take decades to materialise, improving air quality delivers immediate and tangible results including fewer hospital admissions, fewer asthma attacks, fewer missed school days and fewer families dealing with preventable illness. Despite all of this, air pollution is often overlooked and there is very little public awareness of the true health impacts of polluted air. Many people in Ireland assume that air pollution is not a problem here because we do not have too much heavy industry. While we do meet EU limits in respect of air pollutants, Ireland did not meet the most recent World Health Organization air quality guidelines, which are considered to be much more in line with what is actually a safe level of exposure to air pollution. The WHO air quality guidelines represent the most robust evidence on the levels required to protect health. Ireland should really be looking forward and moving towards these standards. I ask the Minister to look at that. In 2021, during the term of the previous Dáil, I introduced the Protection of Children’s Health (Idling of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles in Vicinity of Schools) Bill or, put simply, the no idling Bill. The legislation was based on the very simple idea that children should not have to breathe in toxic exhaust fumes at the school gate. The Bill sought to ban the unnecessary idling of cars within 100 m of schools across the country. Emissions from cars, particularly when idling, increase the levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in places where children spend a significant portion of their lives. Particulate matter has been linked to suppressed lung growth in children and the development of asthma, heart disease and even type 2 diabetes later on in life. An idling engine can produce as much pollution as a car in motion and, in some cases, more. The Asthma Society of Ireland has repeatedly highlighted that children are more vulnerable to air pollution than adults not only because of their developing lungs, but also because of their height, which places them closer to exhaust pipes. One in five children in Ireland experiences asthma at some point and poor air quality is a significant contributing factor. The EPA has estimated that approximately 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland are caused or are attributable to air pollution. That is a shocking figure. As we all know, enforcement is limited without public awareness and education. I do not think people idle their cars out of badness. They just do not think about it. As a parent, I did it as well. You are cold in the car. You are driving between different school car parks for pick-ups, and you are just sitting there. It is just more that people do not think about it. They do not think about the consequences and it not just for health. It is not practical to sit and idle your car because it costs a fortune, particularly nowadays. People do not realise that switching off their engine for even short periods can reduce emissions, save fuel and improve air quality for everybody around them. I ask that the Minister of State look at public awareness in relation to this. I introduced this Bill in 2021. I hoped at the time that I would get support because Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and, indeed, the Green Party had all stated that they supported a ban on idling outside schools, so I was quite confused as to why no one picked it up. It is a good piece of legislation. It is a practical piece of legislation. It is still in the system if the Minister of State wants to progress it. There are a number of benefits with this particular Bill. It is simple. It is manageable. The people who asked me to do this were usually primary school children because they recognise its importance. They are the ones who are walking past car exhaust fumes and breathing this in. They know it is not healthy; they know instinctively it is not good for them. The parents who walk with them and the school community also know. This Bill has serious merits and I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would consider looking at it and working with me on it. It would be important progress. It is the same with any of these Bills; it is not a panacea but it is an important step towards doing something not only for public health and the environment but also as a show of support to school children and a sign that we are listening to them. While this overarching Bill we are discussing is a major step in the right direction, air quality will only improve if legislation and enforcement is backed up by proper resources to ensure that compliance is met. While enforcement powers are strengthened in this Bill, their effectiveness will depend heavily on the capacity and the resourcing of local authorities. Without sufficient funding, staffing and monitoring infrastructure, there is a risk that these new powers may not be fully utilised in practice. Clean air should not be a privilege; it should be a given. While I really welcome this Bill and while it is a strong step forward on enhancement and regulatory clarity, there is a lot more work to be done in the area. I hope the Minister of State will work towards introducing further and broader measures to fully address the air quality challenges we face in Ireland.

Sentiment score: 0.15