Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

339 Chapter 13: Environment and Industry 3. Environmental regulation in Ireland 10 Chemicals Act (Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 209/2015). The Seveso Directive was named after an accident that occurred in 1976 in a chemical plant near Seveso, Italy, resulting in emissions of air pollutants (dioxins) affecting residents and the environment. 11 www.impel.eu/en (accessed 15 July 2024); www.epa.ie/our-services/compliance--enforcement/support-and-supervision-of-local- councils/niece-network/ (accessed 15 July 2024). The EPA is the environmental regulator for large industrial and waste installations in Ireland (Figure 13.2). Licensing, permitting, inspections and the enforcement of permits form the core of the EPA’s regulatory work. Further details of the EPA’s work in this area are outlined later in this chapter. Local authorities regulate industries that are not required to have a licence from the EPA, through single media permits (air, water), licences or waste permits. Other enforcement bodies, including Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Loughs Agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Waterways Ireland, may investigate cases of unauthorised discharges to water or assess the impact of emissions to water from an industrial site. Some industrial activities may cause or increase the risk of a major accident with potentially harmful consequences for the environment and/or human health. These plants are covered by the Seveso Directive (2012/18/EU), which is transposed nationally under the Chemicals Act Regulations 2015. 10 These regulations place specific emphasis on prevention measures, public information and the management of accidents. There are currently over 100 such installations in Ireland, and the lead regulator for these regulations is the Health and Safety Authority. Many of these installations are also licensed by the EPA under the IED. Furthermore, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities is responsible for the regulation of some large-scale petroleum and natural gas installations, power generation plants and waste-to-energy plants. In some circumstances, the enforcement of environmental regulations may also have a cross over with planning authorities. The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority has a role in the licensing and enforcement of offshore development consents (see Chapter 9). Enforcement networks play a crucial role in enhancing cooperation and coordination among the agencies responsible for preventing and combating illegal activities (Topic Box 13.3). The EPA is Ireland’s competent authority for issuing and enforcing industrial emissions (IE) licences in Ireland. There are over 650 IE licensed installations in Ireland regulated by the EPA (Figure 13.3). Topic Box 13.3  Enforcement networks There are several national and European enforcement networks where regulators can meet and share information. These networks ensure that environmental regulations are consistently enforced. The two most prominent networks are the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL) and the Network for Ireland’s Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (NIECE). 11 IMPEL IMPEL is an international association of environmental authorities of the EU Member States, the UK, acceding and candidate countries of the EU, European Economic Area and European Free Trade Association countries and potential candidates that wish to join the European Community. IMPEL’s mission is to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of environmental law in Europe. NIECE NIECE is structured around key priority areas for environmental enforcement in Ireland, such as waste, water and air/climate. Members include representatives of local authorities, state agencies and government departments. The network provides a forum that encourages individuals and organisations to work together to deliver improvements in these priority areas. The continued development of enforcement networks is essential to ensure both an effective and harmonised approach to environmental enforcement in Ireland and proactive communications with the public.