Almost £5k funding for air quality checks in Mid Ulster

The funding - £4,783 - will be used by the council to continue monitoring and assessment of air quality.

This monitoring is vital in enabling councils to address problems with air quality within their districts.

The funding is part of the Environment Fund managed by DOE which has been made available to eligible organisations to protect and improve our habitats, the quality of our air and water, promote health, wellbeing, resource efficiency and sustainable economic development and access to the natural environment.

Announcing the award, Mark H Durkan said: “The right to breathe clean air is something we cannot take for granted. Although air quality here in the North is generally good, emerging evidence is pointing to the harmful effects of even low levels of air pollution on our health.

“In a tough financial climate I pledged that I would try and find funding to continue to support environmental groups and projects across the North in the future. I am pleased to be able to award a total of £192,000 to councils across Northern Ireland to improve air quality as a part of this wider Environment Fund.”

The funding will enable councils to continue to monitor air pollution, and includes grants to maintain or replace monitoring equipment, as well as money to fund staff costs associated with air quality monitoring and assessment.

The Minister concluded: “I commend councils for applying to the Fund to improve air quality here in the North.”