Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed)

Dr. Eimear Cotter:

The 14 or 15 prosecutions we take every year relate to industrial areas. That is separate from Uisce Éireann in terms of the industrial emissions directive mainly. That is our regulatory function. We license and enforce large industries such as pharmaceutical plants for example. That is separate and that is on average 14 or 15 prosecutions every year. I separate them because they are different regulatory regimes. For our regulation of Uisce Éireann, we have prosecuted it 28 times in total. As to whether there are repeat prosecutions, I do not know.