Kerry Council resists ban on smoky coal over fears of hardship for consumers

A move to extend the ban on smoky coal to a leading tourist town, where air pollution far exceeds EU and World Health Organisation limits, has been resisted by councillors.

A motion by South Kerry Independent councillor Michael Gleeson that the public in Killarney be consulted on whether they wanted such a ban failed to find support.

At a meeting of Killarney Municipal Authority, councillors Donal Grady and Danny Healy-Rae said it was the “wrong time” for a ban, because smokeless coal was more expensive than other coal and could mean increased hardship for people.