To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of hydrogen technology on improving air quality.

Air pollution can have a serious effect on people's health and has negative impacts on our environment.

To date, my Department has not assessed the potential effect of hydrogen technology on improving air quality. However, I did meet with Ministers Dodds, Mallon and Murphy on 5 October and there was support for the development of hydrogen technology. The Department for the Economy is leading on this work and as such you may wish to contact them for further information.

You may also find it interesting to note that my Department has been working on developing a Clean Air Strategy Discussion Document involving close collaboration with other Departments. The Discussion Document has now been finalised and will be launched shortly for public consultation. The consultation will invite views on a range of matters relating to air quality and will be an opportunity for stakeholders to put ideas and suggestions to my Department. I welcome full engagement in this process.