Kerry County Council says it expects air quality readings in Tralee to considerably improve.
On December 12th, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed to Radio Kerry News that Tralee moved that day to a red status for air quality, indicating poor quality.
At the recent Tralee Municipal District Fianna Fáil councillor Johnnie Wall asked the council what it can do to ensure the air in the county is pollution-free.
In its reply to Cllr Wall, the council said air quality data for the Tralee monitoring station was of poor status on a number of occasions during December, coinciding with cold, frosty weather conditions.
The council said the air quality issue related to matter detected which is typically associated with the domestic burning of solid fuels, and the levels of this matter were highest in evening periods between 7pm and midnight.
Kerry County Council also said that new national solid fuel regulations, which included of a ban on the sale of smoky coals, is expected to lead to a gradual improvement in air quality.
The council added that there may still be a lag period as households use up existing stocks of older fuels.
The council said it is the enforcing authority for solid fuel regulations, and so has been carrying out inspections across the county since they were introduced.
It said it expects results to considerably improve into the future, and it is also providing information and guidance to the retail sector and general public on air quality issues.
