The ESRI report, Environment Review 2012, presents projections of environmental emissions such as greenhouse gases, waste generation, and nutrients from agriculture covering the period to 2030. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:  Ireland will comply with its Kyoto Protocol target covering the period 2008-2012 but compliance with longer term targets will be much more difficult.  Without significant policy...

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government invites comments on the transposition of the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU). The Directive revises and merges seven separate existing Directives related to industrial emissions into a single Directive and aims to simplify existing legislation related to industrial emissions.  The seven existing Directives are the: 3 Titanium...

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 June 2012) presented a motion to the Select Sub-Committee on Environment, Community and Local Government proposing approval by Dáil Éireann of the ratification by Ireland of the Aarhus Convention . Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on its adoption in June 1998 and is the only EU...

In recent years, strict legislation was introduced to control the amount of nitrate and phosphate that runs into the sea from European rivers.  However, water quality has not improved as much as expected and researchers estimate that a time lag of up to 40 years may need to be considered. Excess nutrients can cause an unnatural...

The European Commission is launching a new public consultation, which is meant to provide input for the mid-term review of the industrial policy communication planned for September 2012. This review will focus on developing a limited number of new initiatives that can deliver substantial results in the short to medium-term. The consultation is due to identify...

The aim of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA Directive) is to ensure that projects which are likely to have a significant effect on the environment are adequately assessed before they are approved. To identify and assess possible impacts on the environment before any decision is taken to allow the project to proceed. To allow...

The Nitrates Directive aims to reduce and prevent water pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, with the primary emphasis on the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers.  The main provisions of this directive are: To monitor and identify polluted waters or water liable to pollution from agricultural nitrates To promote the code of...

The Mid West Regional Authority (MWRA) has been allocated €192,000 under an EU funded programme to promote the environmental protection and economic development of the Mid West Region’s principal waterways, including Lough Derg, the West Clare coastline, the River Shannon and the Shannon Estuary. The Authority has been tasked with developing a regional policy tool...

Clean water is a vital natural resource which is coming under increasing pressure from over-exploitation and pollution. A sustainable management of Europe’s water resources demands a wider policy perspective, addressing all major users as well as water’s interactions with other resources. The European Union’sWater Framework Directive, Nitrates Directive and Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, provide...

Eight more substances of very high concern (SVHC) have been added to the REACH Authorisation list, following a decision adopted by the European Commission on 14 February 2012.   The substances, with uses including plasticisers, pigments and  glass manufacture, are diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) diarsenic trioxide diarsenic pentaoxide lead chromate, lead sulfochromate yellow (C.I. Pigment Yellow 34), lead...