An independent watchdog to protect the environment in Northern Ireland should be set up, a high-level review has suggested. The landmark recommendation is contained in a report published by a Government appointed panel. A new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would bring the province into line with other parts of the UK and the Republic, and would involve key powers of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), which is an executive agency within the Department of the Environment (DoE NI), being transferred to a public body operating outside of Government control.
In its report to Environment Minister Arlene Foster, the panel, which was appointed in February 2006, said a new EPA would act as a "champion for the environment" with responsibilities including monitoring and reporting on the state of the environment, enforcing pollution and conservation regulations, prosecuting offenders and advising on policy. This would put it in charge of protecting air and water quality, managing the waste industry, conserving wildlife and their habitats and safeguarding both special landscapes and historic buildings.
The report notes that Northern Ireland has a "long history" of failing to comply with EU legislation on the environment, which has led to the risk of fines being imposed by European judges. It also describes the current EHS/DoE NI system of looking after the environment as being "not fit for purpose." It states, "Environmental regulation in Northern Ireland is widely perceived to be inconsistent and lacking transparency with the result that there has been a loss of confidence in the Government's willingness and capacity to enforce environmental policy in a fair, consistent and predictable manner."
