Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

5 Acknowledgements The lead authors (in bold) and contributing authors of individual chapters were as follows: Chapter 1 Introduction Brian Donlon Chapter 2 Air Pat Kenny, Bernard Hyde and Dermot Burke Chapter 3 Environmental Noise Tony Dolan, Brendan Wall and Kealan Reynolds Chapter 4 Climate Change Conor Quinlan, Stephen Treacy, Frank McGovern, Tomás Murray and Mary Frances Rochford Chapter 5 Land Fiona O’Rourke and Gavin Smith Chapter 6 Soil Fiona O’Rourke Chapter 7 Nature Hugh Feeley, Tadhg O’Mahony and Deirdre Lynn (National Parks and Wildlife Service) Chapter 8 Water Alan Stephens, Wayne Trodd, Caroline Wynne, Paddy Morris, David Shannon, Kenneth Bucke and Jenny Deakin Chapter 9 The Marine Environment Robert Wilkes and Evin McGovern (Marine Institute) Chapter 10 Environment and Agriculture Jenny Deakin, Ann Marie Ryan, Bernard Hyde and David Styles (University of Galway) Chapter 11 Environment and Transport Prof. Brian Caulfield (Trinity College Dublin), Agnieszka Stefaniec (Trinity College Dublin), Stephen Treacy and Damien Fahey Chapter 12 Environment and Energy Mary Frances Rochford, Prof. Brian Ó Gallachóir (University College Cork), Stephen Treacy, Andy Fanning and Paul Duffy Chapter 13 Environment and Industry Kealan Reynolds, Brian Donlon and Ray Cullinane Chapter 14 Environment, Health and Wellbeing Aisling O’Connor, Brendan Wall, Martin Doyle, Alison Dowdall, Cormac MacGearailt and David Shannon Chapter 15 Circular Economy and Waste Warren Phelan, Celine Horner, Helen Bruen, Anne Lucey and Lisa Maher Chapter 16 Environmental Policy Implementation and Performance Tara Higgins and Cian O’Mahony Chapter 17 Conclusions Andy Fanning and Brian Donlon The report was prepared under the direction of Micheál Lehane, Director, Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring. Advice, comment and direction on the report were received from the Directors of the Agency: Laura Burke (Director General), Eimear Cotter, Gerard O’Leary, Tom Ryan and David Flynn. The report was edited by Brian Donlon, Annette Cahalane and Andy Fanning . Production of the report was managed by Colette Ryan . Maps and graphs in this report were produced by Claire Byrne, Dana Aspel, Fiona O’Rourke, Fran Russell and Jillian Delaney of the EPA Analytics Team and Trish O’Grady (contractor) or provided by other sources as acknowledged throughout the report. This report includes Tailte Éireann surveying data reproduced under licence number CYAL50380495. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Tailte Éireann’s copyright. EPA personnel who provided photographs and imagery: Alan Stephens, Annette Cahalane, Brian Donlon, Caoimhe Kenneally, Conor Quinlan, David Smith, Emilia Hanley, Fiona McCoole, Hugh Feeley, Javier Vila, Jenny Deakin, Joseph Hunter, Kealan Reynolds, Kevin Lydon, Kilian Smith, Robert Wilkes, Ruth Little, Tadhg O’Mahony, Wayne Trodd and Yvonne English.