Its report on the environmental enforcement performance of local authorities in 2022 shows that the scale of environmental enforcement work carried out by local authorities is significant. Over 520 local authority staff handled almost 70,000 complaints and carried out over 197,000 environmental inspections. The EPA assessed the performance of each local authority against each of the 20 national enforcement priorities (NEPs), which fall into four main themes: waste; water quality; air and noise; and governance processes.
Ten local authorities achieved the required standard in 70 per cent or more of the assessments. These were Kildare, Meath, Fingal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan, Dublin City, Carlow and Cork County. This is up from five local authorities the previous year. Four local authorities achieved the required standard in only 30 per cent or less of their assessments. These were Waterford, Offaly, Kilkenny and Wexford.
In terms of water quality, the report revealed that agriculture continues to have a significant impact on water quality, causing excess levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) to enter our waterways. Just over half of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters are in satisfactory condition. While the number of local authority farm inspections increased during 2022, the number is still too low, according to the report. “More farm inspections and follow-up enforcement is needed to reduce the risk of agricultural activities negatively impacting on water quality and to drive compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) regulations.
“The National Agricultural Inspection Programme, which commenced in 2022, sets out a risk-based approach to the targeting of inspections using the EPA’s Targeting Agricultural Measures Map. A priority for this winter (2023/2024) is that local authorities monitor that there is no spreading of soiled water, slurry or fertiliser on farmlands in the closed season or under unsuitable weather or soil conditions,” according to the report.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Dr Tom Ryan, director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said: “While the scale of environmental enforcement work carried out by local authorities is significant, in many areas it is not delivering the necessary environmental outcomes such as improved water and air quality and waste segregation."