Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte, has said that any rollout of a permanent air quality strategy should include Galway City to ensure air quality in the city meets Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
She also echoed her party calls that a national Clean Air Strategy, along with Local Authority action plans be produced.
She explained, “Thanks to the EPA’s immediate alert, we have an insight into the damaging levels of air pollution in Dublin. Traffic volumes are only going one way and these disturbing findings are likely to be replicated in other cities. In Galway, a city full of cars and other vehicles, I am certain we will have similar levels of air pollution.
“The government needs to immediately equip local authorities with the necessary equipment to monitor air quality so that people are aware of the pollution levels in their areas.
“In a city so dependent on tourism it is vital we are not destroyed by air pollution and risk that industry’s viability.
“If the government are serious about climate action they would immediately publish the long-awaited Clean Air Strategy. Given the EPA warning issued, any further delay in the publication of the strategy is unacceptable.
“Fine Gael’s record on climate and air pollution is particularly poor. The lack of any nationwide ban on smoky coal or publication of the Clean Air Strategy are just two examples of this,” concluded Deputy Rabbitte.
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