Traffic and fuel "affecting air quality in Ireland"

Traffic and smoky fuel are the two main detrimental factors affecting air quality in Ireland, according to one environmental expert.

Dr Ciaran O'Donnell is the programme manager at the Environmental Protection Agency, an independent public body established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act of 1992 which has ten offices around the country.

He said that people need to bear in mind the impact of the way they travel and domestic fuel they choose.

Mr O'Donnell's comments follow the publication of the EPA's Air quality in Ireland 2008 report, which revealed positive results for the country as a whole in comparison with European standards.

"Our results for 2008 show that air quality in Ireland remains good, however it can be improved further by reducing local emissions," he stated.

Data for the study was collected on an hourly and daily basis from 30 monitoring stations, in keeping with the EU Directives on Air Quality.

Written by Lauren Steadman