Doubts that smoky coal ban can be enforced

The extended smokeless coal zone around Cork City will be virtually impossible to enforce, critics have said.

New regulations have been introduced which extend the ban beyond the city’s boundary into areas such as Blarney, Tower, Ballincollig, Little Island, and Glanmire, as well as Monkstown, Passage West, and Carrigaline.

The ban on the marketing, sale, and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’) was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating.

The ban proved effective in reducing smoke and sulphur dioxide levels and was subsequently extended to other areas — including Cork City in 1995.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan said earlier this year he envisaged a nationwide ban on the use of smoky coal within the next three years.

Cork County Council officials said the local authority will be relying on neighbours to report people who continue to illegally use smoky coal in these areas.

Ted O’Leary, a senior executive officer in the council’s environment directorate, admitted to councillors that the local authority wouldn’t have an active monitoring campaign.

In response to a query from Cllr Tim Lombard (FG), Mr O’Leary said the monitoring process “will be largely driven by complaints”.

He maintained that most people who are environmentally friendly and health-conscious won’t burn smoky coal.

Mr O’Leary then added that if the council was to get a complaint, its first action would be to undertake a leaflet drop in the non-compliant area or housing estate.

Cllr Lombard yesterday said that the council’s ability to enforce such a ban was therefore “virtually nil”.

“Firstly we haven’t got the manpower to carry out inspections.

“Then people are still allowed to burn turf or timber which will give off smoke, so it may look as though they are flouting the law which they are not,” he said.

“The only way to try and prevent smoky coal being used in these new smokeless areas is to ensure local suppliers are not stocking it.

“But even at that there’s nothing stopping people going to a supplier outside the smokeless area and bringing back smoky coal to their houses,” said Cllr Lombard.

Cllr Kevin Murphy — who is chairman of the council’s environmental special purposes committee — said he expected Mr Hogan, to ban smoky coal nationally within the next three years, which would make a huge difference.

Mr O’Leary said he was also hoping that the minister would reduce the carbon tax on smokeless coal to make it as cheap or cheaper than smoky coal.

He said this would be a major incentive to get householders to use smokeless coal all the time.

Under the new regulations the smoky coal ban was also extended to Greystones, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Navan, and Newbridge, as well as Portlaoise and Wicklow town.