The volcanic ash plume has not caused a deterioration in the quality of the State’s air, the Environmental Protection Agency said today.
Air quality at locations across the country monitored by the EPA was described as fair, good and very good this evening.
The agency said monitoring had not shown any increase in pollution as a result of the ash cloud.
Earlier this week, the Government taskforce on emergency planning said the dust observed recently on cars and windows was not volcanic ash. It also moved to dampen down fears about the health implications of the ash plume from the Icelandic volcano.
“It remains the situation that it is extremely remote that this is volcanic ash that we are dealing with,” Maurice Mullen of the Department of Transport said.
He also said that the amount of ash likely to come to ground was minimal and the impact on health would be equally minimal.
The World Health Organisation has advised people with lung conditions such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma to stay indoors should volcanic ash starts to settle.
The Health Service Executive said signs of volcanic ash in the air included itchy or irritated eyes, runny nose, sore throat or dry cough. The sulphur dioxide in the ash could give rise to a smell similar to rotten eggs.
The Asthma Society of Ireland said there was no need for undue concern at the moment, but if the situation changed, people with respiratory conditions may notice their symptoms worsening.
It emerged this evening, however, that Iceland's volcanic ash has been detected on the Connemara coastline.
The volcanic plume was observed at NUI Galway's (NUIG) Mace Head atmospheric research station in Connemara, some 50 miles west of Galway city, according to Prof Colin O'Dowd, director of NUIG's Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies.
Mace Head is fitted with specialised instrumentation which is also installed at strategic boundary locations around Ireland. The Connemara station has some of the most advanced atmospheric instrumentation in the world.
"By Monday afternoon the plume was observed to be about 200m thick over Mace Head, at 3km altitude but invisible to the naked eye," Dr O'Dowd said. "Through the night, the plume mixed into the surface level and continues to be observed through the day."
"The plume will have diluted significantly and is not thought to significantly impact on air quality."