EPA report warns stricter 2030 EU air limits will require further emission cuts

Ireland met European Union legal air quality limits in 2025, but stricter limits taking effect in 2030 will require further action, according to an Environmental Protection Agency report.

The EPA report noted that overall air quality across Ireland is improving, with most monitored pollutants showing a steady decline. However, the agency highlighted that air pollution from traffic and solid fuel burning continues to cause negative health impacts. The European Environment Agency estimates that approximately 1,500 premature deaths each year in Ireland are linked to air pollution.

Looking ahead to tighter EU standards due in 2030, current monitoring indicates varying compliance across different pollutants. Recorded concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM10) and ozone (O3) already sit below the forthcoming EU thresholds. Conversely, nitrogen oxide concentrations currently comply with the 2030 limits at only 72% of Ireland's 113 monitoring stations, pointing to localised challenges where traffic emissions remain concentrated.