Local authorities did not do enough to address the issues of water, air and noise pollution last year, according to the latest assessment of their performance by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In general, the agency said, councils failed to carry out enough inspections or to adequately prioritise follow-up actions in cases where issues were identified.
These failures were contributing to a situation where there had been “no net improvement in river or lake water quality in recent years, and a sharp decline in the number of monitored estuaries in satisfactory ecological condition”, the EPA said.
“Significant challenges remain for achieving full compliance with relevant EU obligations and national policy objectives.”
RIP.ie removes condolences page for Padraig Nally over anti-Traveller comments
‘A beautiful girl, full of life, full of energy’: Tributes paid to eight-year-old girl killed in New Ross as man arrested
Fine Gael lays out condition for coalition deal with Fianna Fáil as counting finishes in Election 2024
Beneath the vote for stability and small-c conservatism, darker currents are stirring
The issue of pollution arising from agriculture was highlighted in particular, with the agency suggesting the number of inspections carried out was “far below the level required to drive compliance and improve water quality”.
In relation to air quality, the report notes that while Ireland is “compliant with current air quality standards for many air pollutants, we are not meeting [World Health Organisation] guidelines for multiple pollutants, including fine particulate matter”. The inhalation of fine particulate matter can increase the risk of health problems such as heart disease and asthma.
The EPA said many local authorities had failed to demonstrate the use of air quality data “to target solid fuel inspections and raise awareness of local air quality issues”.
More progress has been made, it said, in relation to waste management, citing, among other things, the deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, and increased levels of organic waste collection. However, it says continued increases in the amount of waste being generated mean more will need to be done to meet current targets.
On noise pollution, the agency said some progress had been made but greater collaboration between local authority environment, roads and planning departments is required.
The country’s 31 local authorities are responsible for monitoring pollution levels, identifying cases of noncompliance with regulations and enforcing compliance measures as well as, where appropriate, instigating prosecutions.
The performance of individual councils varied significantly, the report finds, with only Kildare scoring well under every heading assessed. It said the performance of six local authorities – Westmeath, Galway city, Waterford, Wexford, Sligo and Kilkenny – was “not good enough and needs to improve”.
“The effective enforcement of environmental law is essential to identify polluters and non-compliant operators, and to hold them to account,” said Dr Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s office of environmental enforcement. “Local authority leadership is critical in delivering better environmental outcomes through the prioritisation of environmental enforcement and the appropriate allocation of resources.”
Over the course of last year, the number of inspections carried out increased from 197,300 to 212,000 but the number of complaints received, almost 90 per cent of them in relation to waste, increased slightly from 69,700 to 70,300. The number of prosecutions taken dropped from 621 to 270.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
