Senator Malcolm Byrne has welcomed Wednesday’s announcement by Environment Minister Eamon Ryan that from next year, there will be a ban on the sale of smoky coals.
Malcolm pointed out that this could save up to 1,500 lives in Ireland annually as a result of better air quality. The Senator has campaigned for a long time on this issue having been shocked by the extent to which the air in the County’s four main towns had been polluted and the impact that this was having on people with respiratory illnesses and heart difficulties.
“The levels of air pollution measured in our four main towns were frightening. In many cases, levels of pollution were recorded at over ten times what is regarded as safe by the World Health Organisation. Enniscorthy and New Ross were particularly bad at times, but even Wexford town, which did have a ban on the sale of smoky coals in the town, still saw higher levels than were safe.”
“I knew from talking to people with asthma, with COPD, the impact that the poor air quality was having on them. Some told me of their reluctance to go out at night when a dense smoky fog descended on their towns.”
In 2015, then Councillor Byrne brought a motion to Wexford County Council to make Wexford a smoky coal-free zone. Moves for this to happen were resisted by the Department as it wanted to develop a nationwide ban. He has regularly raised the issue in Leinster House.”
“I am happy this is finally happening and that our air quality will improve. There are more sustainable fuel sources available that are better value for money, including smokeless coal, and we need to promote their use.”