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Minister Gormley welcomes the EPA Focus on Environmental Enforcement in Ireland Report

17/11/09


Mr. John Gormley T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, today (17 November 2009) welcomed the publication of the second EPA Focus on Environmental Enforcement in Ireland Report, which covers the 3 year period 2006-2008.

The Minister acknowledged the work carried out by the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement to produce this valuable source of information on the enforcement activities of all local authorities and the EPA under the thematic headings of waste, water, air and noise and large industry.

Commenting on the trends evident from the report and the significant increase in environmental legislation enacted in Ireland over the review period, the Minister welcomed the fact that environmental regulators are using their regulatory powers through increased inspections and enforcement actions. “ I wish to pay tribute to both the EPA and the Local Authorities for their increased efforts in the area of enforcement. We are seeing the fruits of these efforts in the increase in prosecutions through the courts. There is nothing a like a steep fine handed  down by the courts to focus the minds of  environmental vandals, said Minister Gormley.


Nonetheless, the Minister acknowledged that ensuring compliance with environmental law remains a challenge in some areas and highlighted the increased number of prosecutions in waste activities (over 700) in 2008 and notifications to the EPA of failure to meet drinking water standards (544 in period 2007-2008) as evidence.

The Minister noted that the OECD in their recent Environmental Performance Review of Ireland had acknowledged the increased resources the Government has made available to agencies dealing with the environment and the significant investments that have been made in environmentally related infrastructure.

Referring to the future enforcement challenges in the report, particularly in the areas of waste and water management, he restated the Government’s commitment to working towards a clean and safe environment for all. “Safeguarding the environment is a priority and, in this, responses are demanded from everyone”, he added. In light of the current economic contraction he stressed that “Economic recovery is intrinsically linked to protection of the environment. A clean and healthy environment is the basis for a strong economy into the future. “I am absolutely committed to continuing the high level of investment in water services infrastructure which I have secured in recent years. This continued investment will in itself reduce the need for future prosecutions in this area,” added the Minister

The Minister welcomed the level of inter-agency cooperation in environmental enforcement, and stressed the important role of the Environmental Enforcement Network of State Agencies in ensuring that a higher and more consistent standard of enforcement of environmental legislation is achieved throughout the country. He also stressed the important role that the Office of Environmental Enforcement has played in the protection of the environment since its establishment in 2003.

The Minister emphasised that sound policy making and implementation requires robust analysis. He congratulated the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement for the compilation of the report which represents another link in the chain of information resources that the EPA provides including the Indicator and State of the Environment Reports. “These resources continue to make a major contribution in guiding environmental policy making and implementation”, he added.


ENDS

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