How to Make an Environmental Complaint

This leaflet explains who you should contact and what see something? you can do to help resolve environmental problems

A. Who to Contact

B. What to Say and Do say something!

C. Directory of Relevant Agencies hello dear sir,

PART yours you’ll understand faithfully A that... Step One Who Contact the Person or Some areas, like wildlife & habitat protection, to Business Directly workplace health & safety, and In many cases, it will be possible to resolve an public health Contact environmental problem by contacting the person or business that you think is causing the problem are the responsibility of specific public bodies. directly. If you would prefer not to take this option, Contact details for these public bodies and please move on to Step Two. information on the issues they are responsible for can be found at the back of this leaflet. If you do contact the person or business directly, it is best to decide before you make contact what Rather than go through this complaints process you outcome you would like to see. Then contact them have the option of bringing your own actions under directly, by phone or in writing and outline the many sections of environmental law. ENFO has issue that needs to be resolved, how you would like produced a leaflet, “Citizen’s Role as Enforcer of to see it resolved and agree a timescale for this to Environmental & Planning Law”, which explains this. be achieved. ENFO can be reached on LoCall 1890 200 191 or www.enfo.ie. 2 Step Two landfill large Contact the Local Authority industry CONTACT DETAILS PAGE 6

If the first step in the process has not produced a satisfactory result, please contact your local authority except where your concern is about a business with an EPA licence. Step Three The EPA licences large industry or large waste Contact the Environmental management facilities such as landfills. In this case, Protection Agency (EPA)

please move to Step Three. CONTACT DETAILS PAGE 11

So, where the problem relates to matters like If you’ve been dealing with an EPA licensed site and littering, backyard burning, water pollution, noise, the problem has not been resolved then you should dust and smells you should be contacting the contact the EPA. local authority, unless the business has an EPA licence. Also, in cases where a local authority has noise pollution investigated your complaint and the problem persists, please contact the EPA. The EPA will then backyard burning investigate the issue and resolve it where possible.

littering It is important to note that the EPA will not become involved in investigating an issue that should be smells resolved by a local authority, until the relevant local water authority has been given an opportunity to pollution investigate and resolve the issue. 3 When you are seeking to resolve an environmental problem, whether you are at Step 1, 2 or 3, keep the PART following things in mind. B Keep a record Follow up What If you have chosen to get in contact by phone, it is You may wish to follow up any phone good practice to take note of the date and time of calls in writing or by e-mail. If so, to the call, the name of the person you spoke to, the make sure you keep a copy of any main points of the conversation, what actions have correspondence. This information may Say been undertaken by the person contacted and be useful in later steps of the process. by yourself. Where further calls are made the same and information should be taken and retained. mr sampleman On-line form Do You can also use the Environmental 24th April 11am checkfollow up with... Complaint Form available on the local authority’s or EPA website and Details are important also at the local authority or EPA Give as much detail as possible – offices. Contact details, including website addresses, for all local authorities and the EPA can be found at Who? What? When? Where? !! the back of this leaflet. Again, please remember to keep a copy of all correspondence. 4 Keeping abreast of progress In order to maintain a complete public record of When you make a complaint, you will be told how activities relating to an EPA licensed facility/site, it your complaint will be dealt with. Some problems is normal practice that complaint details about can be resolved quickly. However, some licensed facilities are put on public file. Again, you environmental problems by their nature can take can request that your name and contact details be a considerable amount of time to resolve. If you kept confidential in which case your name and would like to hear more about progress on your details will be withheld from the public file. complaint, please contact the relevant local authority or EPA office where you lodged your complaint.

Confidentiality confidential Please note that information submitted to public To progress its investigation the local authority or bodies is subject to the provisions of the Freedom the EPA will, in many cases, need to be able to of Information Acts 1997 and 2003. contact you for further information or assistance.

You will be encouraged to give your name and Your role as a witness contact details, as investigating anonymous complaints can be very difficult. You can request Finally, in some instances it may be necessary that a that your name and contact details be kept court action be taken to resolve a problem. If this is confidential. the case you may be asked to act as a witness and to give sworn testimony.

5 Environmental Complaints Administrative Officer Environment Local Coordinator Authorities Clare Floor 3, Norwich Union House Environment and Emergency 89/90 South Mall, Cork Services Directorate Tel +353 21 4966222 Environmental Complaints Block B, IAPE Building, Gort Road Fax +353 21 4924054 PART Ennis, Co Clare Email [email protected] Athy Road, Carlow Tel +353 65 6846331 Website www.corkcity.ie Tel +353 59 9136282 Out of Hours 1800 606 706 +353 59 9136281 Fax +353 65 6846444 Environment Section +353 59 9136222 Email [email protected] C +353 59 9136226 Website www.clare.ie County House Fax +353 59 9138098 Lifford, Co Donegal Email [email protected] Administrative Officer Complaints Website www.carlow.ie Tel +353 74 9172222 Directory Environmental Directorate Litter Hotline 1800 308 208 Out of Hours +353 74 9172399 of Fax +353 74 9141205 Inniscarra, Co Cork Email [email protected] Regional Environmental Complaint Tel +353 21 4532700 Website www.donegalcoco.ie Coordinator Out of Hours +353 21 4821433 Environment Section Fax +353 21 4532727 Agencies Customer Services Centre Email environmental.complaints@ Courthouse, Cavan corkcoco.ie Civic Offices, Dublin 8 Website www.corkcoco.ie LOCAL AUTHORITIES Tel +353 49 4371429 Fax +353 49 4371423 Tel +353 1 2222222 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Website www.cavancoco.ie Website www.dublincity.ie

6 Environmental Complaints Environment Section Administrative Officer Administrative Officer Coordinator Environment Section Environment Section Enforcement Section City Hall, College Road Environmental Services Galway Áras Chill Dara Áras an Chontae Department Tel +353 91 536563 Devoy Park, Naas JFL Avenue, Portlaoise Dún Laoghaire Rathdown +353 91 536595 Helpline Co Kildare Co Laois County Council Fax +353 91 568146 Tel +353 45 980588 Tel +353 57 8674318 County Hall, Marine Road Email [email protected] Out of Hours 1890 500 333 Fax +353 57 8674382 Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin Website www.galwaycity.ie Fax +353 45 980587 Email environmentadmin@ Tel +353 1 2047954 Email [email protected] laoiscoco.ie Website www.kildare.ie Website www.laois.ie Out of Hours +353 1 6778844 Environmental Complaints Litter Hotline 1800 243 143 Litter Hotline 1800 32 32 30 Fax +353 1 2300125 Coordinator Email wasteenforcement@ Environment Section dlrcoco.ie Environmental Complaints Environmental Complaints Website www.dlrcoco.ie Áras an Chontae Coordinator Coordinator Litter Hotline 1800 403 503 Prospect Hill, Galway Tel +353 91 509302 County Hall, John Street Áras an Chontae Administrative Officer Out of Hours +353 91 585555 Kilkenny City Carrick on Shannon Enforcement Section Fax +353 91 509033 Tel +353 56 7794470 Co Leitrim Environment Department Email [email protected] Out of Hours +353 56 7794400 Tel 1890 205205 Website www.galway.ie Fax +353 56 7794004 Fax +353 71 9621982 PO Box 174, County Hall Email environment@ Email environmentalcomplaints@ Swords, Fingal, Co Dublin kilkennycoco.ie leitrimcoco.ie Administrative Officer Website www.kilkennycoco.ie Website www.leitrimcoco.ie Tel +353 1 8905013 Environment Section Litter Hotline 1800 200 156 Litter Hotline 1890 205 205 +353 1 8906274 Out of Hours +353 1 8731415 County Buildings Fax +353 1 8906270 Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry Email [email protected] Tel +353 66 7183562 Website www.fingalcoco.ie Litter Complaints Litter Hotline 1800 201 093 +353 66 7162000 Waste & Pollution Complaints Fax +353 66 7120927 Email [email protected] Website www.kerrycoco.ie 7 Litter Hotline 1800 326 228 Environmental Complaints Environmental Complaints Officer Local Coordinator Authorities contd Áras an Chontae Áras an Chontae , Co Mayo Great Water Street, Longford Tel +353 94 9024444 Ext 7442 Administrative Officer County Longford Fax +353 94 9028445 PART Environment Department Tel +353 43 43468 Email [email protected] Limerick City Council 1850 434 450 Website www.mayococo.ie City Hall, Merchant’s Quay Fax +353 43 43439 Litter Hotline 1800 400 256 Limerick Email environmental.complaints@ Tel +353 61 407190 longfordcoco.ie C Senior Executive Officer Out of Hours +353 61 417833 Website www.longfordcoco.ie Environment Section Fax +353 61 418345 Hotline 1850 434 450 Email [email protected] County Hall, Navan, Co Meath Website www.limerickcity.ie Directory Senior Staff Officer Litter Hotline 1800 216 816 Tel +353 46 9097204 of Environment Section +353 46 9097205 +353 46 9097206 Regional Administrative Officer County Hall +353 46 9097207 Environment Section Millennium Centre Out of Hours 1890 445 335 Agencies Limerick County Council Dundalk, Co Louth Fax +353 46 9097001 Floor 3 County Hall Tel +353 42 9353130 Email [email protected] Dooradoyle Out of Hours +353 42 9335457 Website www.meath.ie Co Limerick Fax +353 42 9353196 Litter Hotline 1890 228 466 LOCAL AUTHORITIES Tel +353 61 496264 Email [email protected] Fax +353 61 496008 Website www.louthcoco.ie Administration Officer Email [email protected] Litter Line 1800 202 606 Environment Website www.limerickcoco.ie Litter Hotline 1800 201 151 The Glen, Monaghan Co Monaghan Tel +353 47 30592 Fax +353 47 82739 Email [email protected] Website www.monaghan.ie Litter Hotline 1800 200 014 8 Administrative Officer Environmental Complaints Administrative Officer Environmental Complaints Environment Section Coordinator Environment Section Coordinator North Tipperary Environment Section South Tipperary County Environmental Enforcement Office County Council Council Waterford County Council Civic Offices, Limerick Road Roscommon West Business Park Old Museum Civic Offices Nenagh, Co Tipperary Circular Road Parnell Street, Clonmel Dungarvan, Co Waterford Co Tipperary Tel +353 67 44786 Roscommon Tel +353 58 22000 Fax +353 67 32260 Tel +353 90 6637261 Tel +353 52 34455 +353 58 21113 Email environment@ Fax +353 90 6634443 Out of Hours 1800 202 627 Out of Hours +353 58 22000 northtippcoco.ie Email environment@ Fax +353 52 34391 Fax +353 58 20889 Website www.tipperarynorth.ie roscommoncoco.ie Email [email protected] Email environmentalcomplaints@ Litter Hotline 1800 250 350 Website www.roscommoncoco.ie Website www.southtippcoco.ie waterfordcoco.ie Litter Hotline 1850 548 837 Litter Hotline 1800 202 627 Website www.waterfordcoco.ie Environmental Services Litter Hotline 1800 201 501 Offaly County Council Environment Complaints Officer Environmental Complaints Áras an Chontae Coordinator Senior Engineer , Co Offaly Unit 9 Environmental Services Environment Section Tel +353 57 9346895 Cleveragh Business Park Waterford City Council +353 57 9346800 Sligo Wallace House, Maritana Gate Bishopsgate Street Out of Hours 1890 750 750 Tel +353 71 9111902 Canada Street, Waterford Mullingar Fax +353 57 9329230 Fax +353 71 9111924 Tel +353 51 849868 Co Westmeath Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Out of Hours +353 51 875555 Tel +353 44 9332169 Website www.offaly.ie Website www.sligococo.ie Fax +353 51 849530 Out of Hours +353 44 9332000 Environment Hotline 1800 242 673 Email environservices@ Fax +353 44 9384239 waterfordcity.ie Email mconnolly@ Environmental Services Website www.waterfordcity.ie westmeathcoco.ie Department Website www.westmeathcoco.ie South Dublin County Council Litter Hotline 1890 320 005 County Hall, Town Centre Tallaght, Dublin 24 Tel +353 1 4149000 Fax +353 1 4149261 +353 1 4149101 Email [email protected] Website www.southdublin.ie 9 Local ‘Dump the Authorities contd Dumpers’ LoCall 1850 365 121 Environmental Complaints PART Coordinator Members of the public can report Environment Enforcement large scale illegal dumping via a 24 hour locall telephone number County Hall 1850 365 121. This confidential C Wexford telephone service is designed to Tel 1800 767 848 encourage reporting of large scale +353 53 9176619 illegal dumping of waste or of Out of Hours 1890 666 777 abandoned illegal dumps. Directory Fax +353 53 9147748 Local authorities, An Garda Email environment.enforcement@ Síochána and the EPA will follow of wexfordcoco.ie up on the information provided by Regional Website www.wexford.ie the public, as appropriate. Senior Executive Officer Agencies Water & Environmental Services Section LOCAL AUTHORITIES County Buildings Wicklow Town ‘DUMP THE DUMPERS’ Tel +353 404 20296 EPA REGIONAL OFFICES Fax +353 404 67792 Email [email protected] ENFO Website www.wicklow.ie Litter Hotline 1890 548 837 HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE

10 EPA Regional South/South West Region ENFO Health Service Environmental Protection Agency Offices Inniscarra, Co Cork Executive ENFO is the environmental Tel +353 21 4875540 information service of the Members of the public who wish LoCall 1890 33 55 99 The Health Service Executive Department of the Environment, to make a complaint to the EPA Fax +353 21 4875545 (HSE) is responsible for dealing Heritage and Local Government. under Part A, Step Three of this Email [email protected] with complaints about public leaflet should complete the Website www.epa.ie health matters. If you have a relevant complaint form on the ENFO concern about impacts of an EPA website, www.epa.ie. West/North West Region 17 St Andrew Street activity or incident on your own Dublin 2 health, the health of your family Environmental Protection Agency or the health of the wider Headquarters South John Moore Road Tel 1890 200 191 community, contact the Health East Region Castlebar, Co Mayo +353 1 8882001 Fax +353 1 8883946 Services Executive so that public Environmental Protection Agency Tel +353 94 9048400 Email [email protected] health issues can be investigated. PO Box 3000 LoCall 1890 33 55 99 Website www.enfo.ie Johnstown Castle Estate Fax +353 94 9048499 Wexford Email [email protected] Health Service Executive Tel +353 53 9160600 Website www.epa.ie (HSE) Head Office LoCall 1890 33 55 99 Oak House Fax +353 53 91606 99 Millennium Park OEE Public Authority Naas, Co Kildare Email [email protected] Enforcement Website www.epa.ie Tel +353 45 880400 Environmental Complaints Unit Fax 1890 200 893 Office of Environmental Website www.hse.ie East/North East Region Enforcement Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency McCumiskey House PO Box 3000 Richview, Dublin 14 Johnstown Castle Estate Co Wexford Tel +353 1 2680100 LoCall 1890 33 55 99 Tel +353 53 9160600 Fax +353 1 2680199 LoCall 1890 33 55 99 Email [email protected] Fax +353 53 9160699 Website www.epa.ie Email [email protected] Website www.epa.ie

11 Regional Fisheries Northern Regional Southern Regional Fisheries Board Fisheries Board Boards Station Road, Ballyshannon Epworth, Anglesea Street Co Donegal Clonmel Co Tipperary The Regional Fisheries Boards are Tel +353 71 9851435 Fax +353 71 9851815 Tel +353 52 80055 PART statutory bodies mainly responsible for aquatic life forms and the Email [email protected] Fax +353 52 23971 fish habitat. Website www.nrfb.ie Email [email protected] Website www.srfb.ie They investigate complaints about fish kills and water pollution North Western Regional C matters, including pollution arising Fisheries Board South Western Regional from Local Authority Works and Ardnaree House Fisheries Board are also interested in any activity Abbey Street Sunnyside House Directory that impacts on waters such as Ballina, Co Mayo Macroom, Co Cork dredging, gravel removal, bridge Tel +353 96 9022788 Tel +353 26 41222 of construction etc. Fax +353 96 9070543 Fax +353 26 41223 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Regional Central Fisheries Board Website www.northwestfisheries.ie Website www.swrfb.com Swords Business Campus Agencies Swords, Co Dublin Shannon Regional Western Regional Tel +353 1 8842600 Fisheries Board Fisheries Board Fax +353 1 8360060 Ashbourne Business Park The Weir Lodge REGIONAL FISHERIES Email [email protected] Dock Road Earl’s Island BOARDS Website www.cfb.ie Limerick Galway

NATIONAL PARKS AND Tel +353 61 300238 Tel +353 91 563110 WILDLIFE SERVICE Eastern Regional Fax +353 61 300308 Fax +353 91 566335 Fisheries Board Email [email protected] Email [email protected] AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA 15A Main Street Website www.shannon-fishery- Website www.wrfb.ie board.ie HEALTH & SAFETY Blackrock, Co Dublin AUTHORITY Tel +353 1 2787022 Fax +353 1 2787025 FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY Email [email protected] OF IRELAND Website www.fishingireland.net 12 National Parks and An Garda Health & Safety Food Safety Wildlife Service – Síochána Authority Authority of Department Ireland An Garda Síochána should be The Health & Safety Authority is of Environment, contacted where you have responsible for securing health The Food Safety Authority of concerns that a criminal offence and safety at work. Heritage & Local Ireland aims to protect consumers’ has been committed. Government health and consumers’ interests Health & Safety Authority by ensuring that food consumed, The Metropolitan Building distributed, marketed or The National Parks and Wildlife James Joyce Street produced in the state meets Service, part of the Department of Dublin 1 the highest standards of food Environment, Heritage & Local Tel 1890 289 389 safety and hygiene. Government is responsible Fax +353 1 6147020 for investigating complaints Email [email protected] about wildlife and habitat Food Safety Authority Website www.hsa.ie protection matters. of Ireland Abbey Court Lower Abbey Street National Parks & Dublin 1 Wildlife Service Tel +353 1 8171300 7 Ely Place Fax +353 1 8171301 Dublin 2 Email [email protected] Tel +353 1 8882000 Website www.fsai.ie Fax +353 1 8883272 Email natureconservation@ environ.ie Website www.npws.ie

13 Radiological Department of EU Commission Protection Agriculture & Food The European Commission is responsible Institute of for ensuring that Community law is applied The Department of Agriculture and Ireland (RPII) properly in the Member States. PART Food is responsible for overseeing single-farm payments to farmers, Anyone may lodge a complaint with the The Radiological Protection which are subject to cross- Commission against a Member State about Institute of Ireland (RPII) is compliance with environmental any measure (law, regulation or administra - the national organisation with directives. The Department carries tive action) or practice, which they consider C regulatory, monitoring and out inspections to meet EU incompatible with a provision or a principle advisory responsibilities requirements and arrangements of Community law. It may be appropriate concerning ionising radiation for cross reporting with other before contacting the European Commission and radioactive contamination control authorities are being put to first ensure that the National Authorities Directory in the environment. in place. are sufficiently informed about and given an opportunity to respond to a potentially of unsatisfactory situation complained about. Radiological Protection Department of Standard complaint forms are available on Regional Institute of Ireland Agriculture & Food the website of the European Commission 3 Clonskeagh Square Agriculture House www.ec.europa.eu Clonskeagh Road Kildare Street Agencies Alternatively, a complaint may also be sent Dublin 14 Dublin 2 by ordinary letter. Such complaints should Tel +353 1 6072000 Tel +353 1 2697766 be sent to the following address: RADIOLOGICAL Fax +353 1 2697437 Locall 1890 200 510 PROTECTION INSTITUTE Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Commission of the OF IRELAND (RPII) Website www.rpii.ie Website www.agriculture.gov.ie European Communities

DEPARTMENT OF (for the attention of AGRICULTURE & FOOD the Secretary-General) B-1049 Brussels EU COMMISSION Belgium

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Produced through the Environmental Enforcement Network by the Environmental Protection Agency, County and City Managers Association and the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government.