Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week, Deirdre Clune, MEP for Ireland South, has reiterated her support for stronger measures in Ireland to address the largest environmental health risk facing Europe: poor air quality.
Voting on the Ambient Air Quality Directive this week, a cornerstone of the EU’s Zero Pollution Package, MEP Clune said: “Our health depends on our environment. Approximately 1,300 premature deaths occur in Ireland every year due to air pollution – we cannot ignore the fact that the air we breathe is harming us.
“I voted in favour of this ambitious new Directive which will ensure that air quality in the EU is not harmful to human health, natural ecosystems or biodiversity, in line with the latest WHO guidelines. Stricter limits are necessary to achieve our zero pollution target by 2050,” stated Clune.
MEP Clune welcomed Ireland’s Clean Air Strategy launched in April, but stressed that stringent standards must be imposed, and the strategy must be swiftly implemented.
“This is a public health crisis. On a national scale, we need to increase our data collection to better monitor air quality, and implement improved frameworks for local authorities. Indeed, it is important to inform citizens about symptoms associated with air pollution peaks, and the associated health risks for each pollutant.
“I was delighted to see the UN Clean Air Day celebrated across the country earlier this month, with lots of great activities to raise awareness. It’s clear that climate action is very important to the people of Ireland,” MEP Clune concluded.
