Nearly 1,200 people die in Ireland prematurely every year because of poor air quality, according to an annual report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA's Air Quality report has been released today as part of World Lung Day.
The agency says Irish air quality falls below World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines but it does meet EU rules.
It says the latest estimates show there are 1,180 premature deaths in Ireland per year due to poor air quality.
According to the report, the main culprits of poor air quality are fine particles from domestic burning of solid fuels and nitrogen dioxide from vehicle emissions in urban areas.
The EPA is now calling for the country to move towards cleaner and more efficient ways of heating homes, as well as implementing transport measures outlined in the Government's recent climate plan.
The agency is also suggesting that "individuals should consider their transport choices".
Dr Ciara McMahon, EPA programme manager, explained: "We need to decarbonise our public transport system - reducing our reliance on diesel and petrol cars."
Her EPA colleague Dr Micheál Lehane added: “We all expect that the air we breathe is clean, but we cannot take this for granted.
"Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health, so it is now time to tackle the two key issues that impact negatively on air quality in Ireland."
