Greens call for reform of environmental protection
Environment Minister Dick Roche was urged to reform the Environmental Protection Agency today by thousands of people.
The Green Party handed a petition containing the signatures into Mr Roche’s department claiming the EPA has serious shortcomings.
Party leader Trevor Sargent said the lack of a satisfactory structure to appeal EPA decisions and the derisory fines handed down for breaking environmental law ring alarm bells for environmentalists.
“This petition calls for major changes in a number of areas including licensing appeals, prosecution procedures and the appointment procedures to the Board of Directors,” he said.
“The Green Party is calling for fundamental legislative changes to allow for the reform of the EPA.”
Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe said the EPA’s dual role of agreeing licences with Irish industry and then deciding any appeals to the terms of those licences is unacceptable.
“In planning decisions, local authorities negotiate with developers and subsequently make a decision,” he said.
“However if anyone believes that the local authority’s decision does not comply with national policy, local plans or best practise, they can appeal to An Bord Pleanala. There is no comparable facility of appeal in the pollution control licensing system.
“Under the EPA’s current arrangements there is no independent forum of appeal for individuals or local groups who are unhappy with the terms of a pollution control license. We believe that this problem must be addressed.”
Green Party Finance spokesperson Dan Boyle said the management structure of the EPA needs to be revised.
“The current organisational structure allows for very little influence from environmental organisations,” he said.
“The EPA is managed day to day by an Executive Board consisting of a director general and four directors. An advisory committee, which includes one representative from environmental organisations, meets a few times a year and has only an advisory role.”
Green Party deputy leader Mary White said the level of fines imposed by the EPA were too low.
“Unfortunately until the EPA can successfully prosecute industries and impose fines that make a serious financial impact a certain minority of companies will not take environmental protection seriously,” she said.
“The average fine imposed by courts where the EPA successfully prosecuted offenders in 2005 was only €2,559. As long as fines remain at that level they will not seriously factor in some companies’ decisions.”
