Irish publish environmental enforcement stats

Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency has this week published its Focus on Environmental Enforcement in Ireland report covering 2006 to 2008.


This is the second report, released yesterday November 16) from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement and assesses Ireland’s enforcement of environmental crimes and aims to focus on the challenges of the future.

The figures reveal the EPA, and Irish local authorities, carried out more than 130,000 inspections leading to 10,000 enforcement actions and 750 prosecutions in 2008.

Odour complaints from waste transfer stations fell by 66% over the three years while odour complaints relating to landfills doubled in the last two years.

There was a 40% increase, to almost 4,50, in the number of discharges to water and sewer licensed by local authorities, but seriously polluted river stations dropped by ten – from 39 to 29 in the three year period 2006 to 2008.

Local authorities issued 1,200 warning letters following noise and nuisance complaints and moans about large industrial activities regulated by the EPA dropped from more than 1,000 in 1998 to just over 400 in 2008.

“Environmental legislation has increased dramatically in recent years, and it is being matched by a significant level of enforcement activity,”said Dara Lynott, director of the office of environmental enforcement.

“This level of regulation is a driver for improvement and a cleaner environment. We have less pollution entering the environment; without regulation we would not have the outcomes we now see.”

For full details of the report click here.

Luke Walsh

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