Stark Mayo concerns for sports people due to poor air quality

A Mayo Oireachtas member has raised concerns over the negative health implications of poor air quality.

Senator Mark Duffy cited the fact 700 premature deaths occur annually due to poor air quality.

He stated: "That is a stark figure, which obviously has a major human impact on families and communities, but there is also the financial cost.

"The ESRI identified that just five air pollution-related conditions cost the State €56 million. That is an incredible figure.

"It is a well publicised and advertised fact that carbon monoxide is the silent killer. There is a lot of public information on that but carbon dioxide is also a silent killer.

"Its negative impact on communities is potentially even more prevalent.

"We have young and old people playing recreational and elite level sports on astroturf, football pitches and tracks.

"We need to be cognisant and mindful of the air quality that sports people are experiencing. I recall playing on astroturf in heavily built-up areas in the last couple of years.

"The negative experience of poor air quality is something I have reflected on.

"A carrot and stick approach is needed. I welcome measures to improve public transport fleets to reduce toxic emissions and the grants to retrofit houses, whether local authority houses or private homes.

"My personal experience of this, which I know is shared by many people, is that when out walking or playing football in a heavily built-up area on a winter’s night, there is a lot of fog and it causes pronounced difficulties in air quality.

"We need to be conscious of fuel poverty. I was playing a game of football in an area of high deprivation identified by Pobal.

"We need to be proactive in encouraging retrofits and making sure we have a positive approach to improving air quality and that we do not target those who cannot afford retrofits or are most vulnerable to fuel poverty.

"They need to live and to heat their homes. Obviously, we want them to do that in a way that has a minimal impact on air quality and discernment is needed to make sure we do not persecute people who are in difficult financial situations.

"We need to improve monitoring, as provided for in new legislation, to have key data and statistics.

"We need to make sure we have that in places with amenity spaces where people are most likely to be affected by poor air quality, namely, near football pitches, playgrounds, schools and walking tracks where, especially during wintertime, fog creates smog and has a negative impact.

"That could be a very positive outcome of the new legislation hat brings people on a journey to a cleaner, greener future and supports energy retrofits."

Senator Duffy was speaking in An Seanad during a debate on the Air Pollution (Amendment) Bill 2025.