Irish local authorities improved environmental enforcement by 20% from 2021 to 2024, with most meeting standards, but some councils lagged.

Irish local authorities made a 20% improvement in environmental enforcement from 2021 to 2024, with 79% of key assessments meeting standards. Over 227,000 inspections were conducted, 10,700 licenses managed, 76,500 complaints addressed, 18,050 enforcement actions taken, and 414 prosecutions initiated. Six councils—Meath, Dublin City, South Dublin, Kildare, Fingal, and Cork City—performed well, while Leitrim, Galway City, Sligo, Clare, and Donegal underperformed. The EPA stressed the need for stronger action on water, air, and noise pollution to meet national environmental goals. Successful initiatives included using CCTV in Longford to catch littering offenders and removing silage bales in Waterford to protect a lake.