Ireland needs to tackle solid fuel burning and transport emissions to meet Clear Air Strategy ambition and protect public health.
Local authorities need to facilitate proactive choices on both home heating and travel, through strong application of the Solid Fuel Regulations and supporting alternatives to car travel.
Ireland’s latest monitoring shows air quality is in compliance with current EU standards, but achieving future targets will be very challenging.
While the overall level of air pollution has reduced over recent decades, our understanding of the level at which air pollutants impact health has also been deepened by the updated guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The EPA has expanded Ireland’s air quality monitoring network to include 115 monitoring stations, up from 29 in 2017, and now provides real-time monitoring and forecasting on airquality.ie.
The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has today published its annual air quality report, Air Quality in Ireland 2023. The report is based on the extensive monitoring network in Ireland, which consists of 115 monitoring stations, reporting hourly, and is a leader across Europe in providing a 3-day air quality forecast. The report shows that Ireland has work to do to meet our Clean Air Strategy targets. In particular, there are concerning localised issues which lead to poor air quality. While the overall level of air pollution has reduced over recent decades, our understanding of the level at which air pollutants impact health has also been deepened by the World Health Organization (WHO), which now advises that there are no safe levels of air pollution.
Ireland met the current EU legal air quality limits in 2023, but monitoring results were higher than the more stringent health-based World Health Organization air quality guidelines for a number of pollutants including: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (N02), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3). The main sources of these pollutants are the burning of solid fuel in our towns and villages and traffic in our cities. In our Clean Air Strategy Ireland has committed to achieving the WHO guideline values by 2040, with interim targets for 2026 and 2030. Despite comparing favourably with many of our European neighbours, Ireland’s 2023 monitoring results would exceed the soon-approaching 2026 targets.
In 2023 air monitoring results from EPA stations across Ireland show that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), mainly from burning solid fuel in our homes, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), chiefly from road traffic, continue to be the main threats to good air quality. High levels of these pollutants are often associated with cold, still weather from late autumn through to early spring, when generally incidents of poor air quality of one to two days duration occur. The report identifies that using less solid fuel and cleaner fuels to heat our homes, making our homes more energy efficient and reducing our use of cars to go to school, work and play are actions that will contribute towards achieving our Clean Air targets. Local authorities can facilitate people to make cleaner and healthier air quality choices by acting on the Solid Fuel Regulations and supporting alternatives to car travel.
Launching the report, Dr Micheál Lehane, (Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection & Environmental Monitoring), said: “Ireland now has a world class air quality monitoring network so the evidence base is strong in showing us that air pollution is not just a city phenomenon, there are negative impacts in towns and villages right across the country. If we want to achieve our ambition of Clean Air for everyone, everywhere, all year round, then we need to address the emissions from residential heating and invest in transport systems right across the country.”
The report further identifies the critical role for local authorities to facilitate people to make cleaner and healthier air quality choices:
Target air enforcement activities, including to ensure compliance with the solid fuel regulations.
Invest in public transport infrastructure across the country.
Promote active travel – install and maintain safe footpaths and cycle lanes to continue to increase active travel as a viable and safe alternative to car use and associated nitrogen dioxide emissions.
Ms Roni Hawe, (EPA Programme Manager,) said: “Progress on residential retrofit programmes will help to reduce fine particulate matter pollution but vigilance is also needed to ensure that only compliant solid fuel, such as low smoke coal and dried wood, is being sold to householders. In 2022 Ireland introduced new laws to reduce the pollutant potential of solid fuels. We need to see a strong inspection campaign by local authorities this winter to make sure all retailers only stock and sell approved solid fuel.”
To find out more about how we can improve air quality read the EPA’s How we can improve the air we breathe infographic or check out the Government of Ireland Let’s Clear the Air campaign which highlights some simple steps we can all make and help reduce pollution from solid fuels.
The Air Quality in Ireland 2023 report is available on the EPA website.
The EPA continually monitors air quality across Ireland and provides the air quality index for health and real-time results online. Results are updated hourly on the website, and people can log on at any time to check whether the current air quality is good, fair or poor.
On Monday evening last, at 14:21 hours, I was contacted (PM on Facebook) by Mr Jim Ryan, (Elected Local Councillor). He informed me that his associates had held a meeting ‘with a few experts‘, with regards to the state of the river Suir at Barry’s bridge in the town centre.
There was I thinking that I was going to be reprimanded, by my betters, for contacting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which I certainly did, in an attempt to get some action in my efforts to save the decline of the River Suir and to lower, at least somewhat, the filthy stench currently being emitted from its murky waters.
No, thank God, the EPA hadn’t informed Mr Ryan directly, about my daring activities. Instead he was anxious to obtain images of sewage flowing into the river, which he had been fighting to correct for over the past 11 years; with his colleagues failing to support him and he without a camera of his own and no sense of smell.
In the course of our brief communication, I must apologise to Mr Ryan for misleading him. I had stated that I thought that the emissions from the area at the Emmett street “swinging gates” side of the river walk had been fixed. However, I also had stated that because of nettles retained by our local ‘nettle hugging’ biodiversity individuals, same could not be fully confirmed.
I am now happy to confirm, using the Thurles.Info satellite; that fixing this problem, requested on June 30th, 2022(view Here); on October 14th, 2022(view Here); on June 28th, 2023(view Here); and again on October 26th 2023(view Here), was simply too much of a challenge for our elected double jobbers; what with the war in Ukraine; the war in Gaza, not to mention Covid.19 and the onset of space tourism.
I now feel embarrassed, as I report that the emissions reported two years are still happily flowing, leaching into the water; only in larger amounts than was reported previously back in 2022. Again the nettles forbid me from seeing the actual pipe and my only pair of wellington boots have sprung a leak.
Archival picture of sewage entering the river Suir taken in 2022. Pic: G.Willoughby.
Same sewage photographed two years later on Saturday last. September 21st 2024. Pic: G.Willoughby.
Meanwhile, the person who sent men into the river, without supervision, on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, should consider their position and resign.
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We had expected this workforce to return to complete their cleaning work on Thursday, and Friday last, but alas, no show; hope they didn’t pick up anything, forcing them to take sick leave. The reeds were cut, using strimmers, and left to float on the water’s surface, blocking the two fish runs, and forcing the main water stream to flow directly over the low weir. Branches were removed from under the bridges arches and left partially in the water and on the river bank. As our video shows, despite no rain over the past 7 days, water is still flowing from a drain under Thurles Swimming Pool, directly into the river, as is a stream of water from pipes under Barry’s Bridge, which we reported last January, (view Here).
Anyone Missing A Sock? No effort has been made to collect the numerous years of litter, piled and hidden in the receding undergrowth, found in the river itself and on its banks, in the form of plastic bags, tins, bottles, clothing, etc. One thing I did discover; while Red Bull liquid may give you ‘Wiings’, their empty containers remain fully grounded, when caught floating in existing Blanket Weed (filamentous algae).
Yes, the public are totally responsible for this littering, but what are we getting in return for vehicle parking charges and for local property tax, the latter which has increased in Thurles every year, since it was introduced in 2013 except during local election years.
Members of Thurles Tidy Towns, Thurles Gun Club and myself had worked for absolutely no recompense to make this same area visually beautifully, which Thurles Municipal District Councillors and their officials have now turned it into a cesspit, having removing all its assets.
It may now be necessary to put together a working volunteer group to save this wonderful asset, for according to Mr Ryan (Cllr.), despite being set up in 2016, the outfit known as the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), have no immediate action plan in place and will require 4 months to make such plans, before urgent funding can even be applied for.
Motorists travelling into Thurles from the west side of town tomorrow morning, e.g. parents dropping students into the various educational facilities in the Town, please take note.
On Friday last, September 20th 2024, per the Tipperary County Council website, an announcement was posted stating that there will be Temporary Traffic Management on Abbey Road Thurles, Co.Tipperary (R-660).
Annual Blocked Drain on Kickham Street, Thurles. Pic: G.Willoughby.
The road hazard type is described as “Road Works”.
Interesting that, since this road was only upgraded just 3 years ago, (August 19th, 2021 viewHere) with funding of €75,000 allocated to erect a basic road roundabout, which is constantly struck by heavy traffic, resulting in motorway signs being replaced, (Following month September 29th, 2021, view Here).
Do you think one of that workforces employees might oblige by dropping up to Kickham Street, armed with a shovel, to unblock a drain?
Over four weeks ago (August 18th) we highlighted attempts, by one or other motorised vehicle, to re-design the “Watery Mall” Famine Wall, located on Robert Emmet (Emmett) Street, Thurles, immediately behind Tesco Supermarket.
Pictures taken of front & rear of the damaged wall on Robert Emmet Street. Pic’s: G. Willoughby.
The rear of this wall, shown immediately above, has now begun to crumble. Because the area has been allowed to fall into an unexceptable state by Thurles “nettle huggers”, its unkempt state is regularly the haunt of children who see this disordered and ungroomed zone as a favourite playground, where they can hide, see and not be seen, by passers-by.
Thurles Municipal District officials have been notified by email.
Meanwhile, following our video, published on August 29th last (VIEW HERE) , the “Ring Buoy” stolen and missing for months has been replaced. So also the river walk has now had the host of overhanging nettles and briars cut back on the tarmacked pathway, situated between Lidl and Thurles Shopping Centre.
Alas, further down while an effort was made by persons unknown to clear a path travelling southward to Suir Island, those involved obviously got ‘fed up’ and ‘pissed off’, or got ‘pissed off’ and ‘fed up’, whatever. See picture hereunder.
No real effort made to clear a path through the acre of nettles south of the river walk to Suir Island. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Alas, the request to Supermarkets on August 20th, in this area (VIEW HERE), to remove their shopping trolleys from the river has, for the most part, gone ignored.
Time now to affect a byelaw re. such trolleys and issue fines, seizing these trolleys until same fines are paid. It should be noted that the basic metal trolley dumped in the river Suir, costs €180.00 each, and supermarket customers pay for the loss and replacement of same, through a percentage increase in the goods that consumers purchase within that Supermarket.
The year was 1878; the month was October, when a headline in “The Western Daily Press” newspaper (published in Bristol, England), stated, quote; “A Committee Should Consist of Three People, One of Whom Is Always Sick and the Other of Whom is Always Absent”.
The year was 2013, the month was November; when we at Thurles.Info first highlighted the state of the River Suir, particularly within the centre of Thurles. [VIEW HERE]. North Tipperary Co. Council officials, same recently retired, denied any such issue with the river, despite the photographic evidence provided. Over the last, almost 11 years, all efforts put in place to correct these issues of decline within this area, were slowly dismantled by council officials. Where is the fountain, Councillors and their red faced officials refuse to answer?
Again, over the same almost 11 years, local press and local radio namely “The Tipperary Star”, and “Tipp Fm” radio refused to publish or to highlight issues regarding the River Suir. Both same media outlets choosing instead to publish other dubious and suspect press releases, same prepared by power seeking local councillors, their officials and our two local residing goverment politicians, intent on personal vote catching exercises and self glorification.
At least 4 times every year, over the past 11 years, Thurles.Info has written about the declining state of the River Suir, often forwarding same to highly paid officials in Tipperary Co. Council; e.g. Mr Joe Macgrath(Chief Executive) and Ms Sharon Scully(Thurles Administrator), but to no avail. Also almost every month we have published press releases from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), warning on the decline in our rivers and streams.
The current town administrator, Ms Sharon Scully, in an email dated January 18th 2022 stated, quote, (In relation to road signs facing in the wrong direction)“Resources can only be dedicated to this task when more urgent works such as housing repairs, burials, and roadworks allow”. In the same email, Miss Scully also stated, quote, “I would like to see Thurles town promoted in a positive light – the good work that has been carried out, such as works on Liberty Square* and the River Suir Walkway, as well as funding that has been secured to redevelopment Thurles Market Quarter, and also deserve mention. When we highlight only the negatives, in a public forum, it misleads people as to all the town has to offer and paints the town of Thurles in a light that I’m sure neither you nor me want”.
*Liberty Square— With its double signposting only feet apart; its street lighting that burns night & day; signs pointing in the wrong direction; a confined traffic space that forbids a mother to open a car door to place a child into a rear car seat, and the aroma of raw sewage emerging every time temperatures reach 18° Celsius.
Double Sign Posting just feet apart, Liberty Square Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby.
*River SuirWalkway — Tarmacadamed, destroying existing biodiversity and which has already started to ravel. *Thurles Market Quarter, — 3.4 million being to spent to build a second restaurant and a market quarter, both of which the public never asked for and which reduces car park spaces for existing struggling businesses.
On the following day Ms Scully stated also in a further email, quote,“I think it is very important that any town has strong community engagement, where issues that are of importance can be highlighted and discussed. However, when this is done in a public forum it can paint the town in a negative light, particularly when the positives are not also highlighted”.
Ms Scully ‘community engagement‘ in Thurles is only in token, and businesses and residents are not heard, in favour of poor planning and and what appears to be unqualified planning architects. So we should hide our towns deficiencies in the hope that consumers and non existant tourists won’t discuss their inability to find a parking space in a small rural town.
Note the dates November 2013 and January 2022. Now in September 2024, nothing has been done to solve the river Suir issues or the town drainage issues, as Mr Jackie Cahill TD, Mr Michael Lowry TD, Local Councillors and Thurles Municipal District Council officials drive their motor vehicles through a deserted Liberty Square, with windows tightly closed, to avoid the smell of raw sewage.
We are now informed, 11 years later, following a video posted on Thurles.Info, on August 17th last, VIEW HERE, that biologist Mr Fran Igoe, a spokesperson representing the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) agrees that what is happening in Thurles and the river Suir is ‘shocking‘. Of course Mr Jackie Cahill TD was quick into the fray, ‘calling for action’, in an effort to protect the farming community, latter partially responsible for its demise.. Mr Igoe (lAWPRO) has stated that test results, now show that while one should expect to find a broad range of aquatic insects and bugs, he could only find two species in our river.
Reed cutting began on the River Suir Thurles, today September 18th.Last time these reeds were cut was in March 2019, prior to the local elections. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Just two days after the Council meeting on Monday last; this morning, Wednesday 18th September, 2024, a group of men are to be found in the river strimming the reeds and removing last winters tree branches, same washed down from upstream. [You would swear RTE were coming to video the area, for Thursday’s “RTE Investigates” programme].
This latter happening came as a massive surprise, since we were informed by one local Councillor, that LAWPRO would be leading the process. They alone would be drawing up a plan of action which would involve input from all the relevant bodies within a 6 month time span to produce an agreed action plan. At that stage they would apply for funding to carry out all recommendations in this future completed report.
Funny thing, two days later, it appears that no consultation was required from the relevant bodies [e.g. Inland Fisheries, Biodiversity Ireland, Refresh Thurles, Birdwatch Ireland, Irish Environmental Network, Fauna & Flora International, National Parks & Wildlife and Uncle Tom Cobley and all.].
Could today’s action see Thurles now end up being prosecuted by some European environmental organisation? After all, in recent years, there has been a growing trend in people and organisations using Europe’s unparalleled system for protecting human rights in helping to tackle environmental problems.
Seriously, it should be noted that LAWPRO was set up in 2016(Eight years ago) as a shared service on behalf of the 31 Local Authorities in Ireland. The Programme operates nationally out of 13 different Local Authority centres. LAWPRO is supposed to be driving public engagement, participation and consultation with communities and stakeholders at local level via its Communities Team; while delivering a programme of catchment assessment in priority areas for action via its Catchment Science Team and coordinating these activities across the relevant public sector via five Regional Operational Committees. With this service set up in 2016, one must ask the question why does the river Suir in Thurles have to wait six months for an action plan, before seeking funding?
Swans remain residents on the river Suir in Thurles. Pic: G. Willoughby
Just to correct our councillor, who claimed that no Swans remain in the river Suir and the ducks have left; this is totally untrue in both counts. The two swans remaining in this, their home territory, have produced Cygnets each year. Once these Cygnets are old enough to look after themselves the parents cut their parental ties and chase them away, sometimes quite aggressively. The Cygnets normally join the first flock of teenage swans they encounter, where they usually hangout until they mature, at around 4 years of age and in turn locate a wife and then nature performs a full circle once again when they find their personal territory and raise a family. In the wild, with all of the hazards they have to live with (vandals, pollution, mink, overhead cables, lead poisoning, fishing-tackle injuries, wind turbine generators etc), the average lifespan of a Swan is 12 years, while in a protected environment they can survive up to 30 years of age.
The waste and neglect at local authority level continues.
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