The Government has this week approved Ireland’s first ever Clean Air Strategy, aimed at identifying and promoting the coordinated measures needed to reduce air pollution and improve the environment.
The strategy commits Ireland to achieving the new World Health Organisation guideline values for air quality by 2040, with progress to be measured against interim targets by 2026 and 2030.
Launching the strategy, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said there were no safe levels of air pollution.
“While we are fortunate that our air quality is generally good, we have pockets and times when it is not acceptable and it is still estimated that up to 1,400 people die prematurely each year in Ireland due to air pollution,” he said.
“We are committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge”.
