IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

These Regulations give statutory effect to Directive 2006/11/EC insofar as it relates to the discharge of certain dangerous substances from offshore installations into the Irish territorial sea.

These Regulations provide for a Fisheries Natura Plan for wild fisheries that may impact on Natura 2000 sites, the Appropriate Assessment of those Plans, a process of public and statutory consultation and for the Minister to accept, reject or amend such plans. It provides powers for the Minister to control fishing via a Permit system and further provides for offences and penalties.

These Regulations have been developed for the purposes of responding to the requirements of the EU Commission that Ireland, as part of its response to a ruling by the European Court of Justice (Case C-282/02, Judgement of the Court of 2 June 2005), enact Regulations to set legally binding objectives for water quality in rivers, or parts of rivers, inhabited by freshwater pearl mussels Margaritifera and designated as Special Area of Conservation (SAC) to protect those species; and to take steps necessary to attain those objectives.

The Regulations require the Minister to carry out a programme of investigation and monitoring within each relevant river sub-basin to establish baseline conditions and threats and pressures to Margaritifera; to prepare a programme of measures for the attainment of the ecological objectives in the appropriate rivers, or stretches therein; and to publish a sub-basin management plan for each relevant river.

The Regulations require the EPA, when classifying surface waters in accordance with the ecological objectives approach of the Water Framework Directive, to assign a status of úless than good ecological statusù where Margaritifera is found to be in unfavourable conservation status. This will trigger further actions as waters classified as less than good must be restored to at least good status within a prescribed timeframe.

The Regulations require a public authority that authorises discharge to any of the listed rivers to set down emission limit values that aim to achieve the prescribed ecological quality targets; and to examine existing authorisations within a set time and review them as appropriate.

The Regulations enable the Minister, local authorities or the EPA to advise or, if necessary, direct a person or body to carry out necessary actions.

The Regulations also set out offences and penalties.

S.I No. 286-2009 WASTE MANAGEMENT (PROHIBITION OF WASTE DISPOSAL BY BURNING) REGULATIONS 2009

The purpose of these regulations is to abolish the practice of burning of waste, by making it an offence to do so under waste legislation. An exemption under these regulations exists to allow farmers, as a last resort, to dispose of wastes generated by agricultural practices.

These Regulations give statutory effect to Directive 2008/105/EC on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy. The Regulations also give further effect to Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy and Directive 2006/11/EC on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community.

These Regulations give statutory effect to Directive 2008/105/EC on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy. The Regulations also givefurther effect to Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy and Directive 2006/11/EC on pollution causedby certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community.

The Regulations apply to all surface waters and provide, inter alia, forî

The establishment of legally binding quality objectives for all surface waters and environmental quality standards for pollutants. The examination and where appropriate, review of existing discharge authorisations by Public Authorities to ensure that the emission limits laid down in authorisations support compliance with the new water quality objectives/standards. The classification of surface water bodies by the EPA for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive. The establishment of inventories of priority substances by the EPA. The drawing up of pollution reduction plans by coordinating local authorities (in consultation with the EPA) to reduce pollution by priority substances and to cease and/or phase out discharges, emissions or losses of priority hazardous substances.

These Regulations revoke the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations 1998 (S.I. No. 258 of 1998) and the Water Quality (Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 12 of 2001).

These Regulations prescribe the form of notice to be served by a water services authority or any person intending to complain to the District Court concerning an alleged failure by a third party to comply with a duty of care under section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 .

This Order brings subsections (6) and (7) of section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 into operation.

These Regulations revoke, and re-enact with amendments, the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations, 2006 and 2007. These Regulations come into effect on 31 March 2009.

These Regulations provide statutory support for good agricultural practice to protect waters against pollution from agricultural sources and include measures such as—

• periods when land application of fertilisers is prohibited
• limits on the land application of fertilisers
• storage requirements for livestock manure, and
• monitoring of the effectiveness of the measures in terms of agricultural practice and impact on water quality.

The Regulations give further effect to several EU Directives including Directives in relation to protection of waters against pollution from agricultural sources ("the Nitrates Directive"), dangerous substances in water, waste management, protection of groundwater, public participation in policy development and water policy (the Water Framework Directive).

1 O.J. No. L 194/39, 25 July 1975.

2 O.J. No. L 20/43, 26 January 1980.

3 O.J. No L 375/1, 31 December 1991.

4 O.J. No. L 327/1, 22 December 2000.

5 O.J. No. L 156/17, 25 June 2003.

6 O.J. No. L 64/52, 4 March 2006.

7 O.J. No. L 372/19, 27 December 2006.