Policy and Regulation

The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (https://www.dccae.gov.ie) strives to achieve a high quality environment with effective environmental protection. Within that remit it addresses key issues such as climate change, biodiversity, waste issues, protecting water resources and quality, sustainable development and communities. It also has responsibility to monitor, analyse and predict Ireland’s weather and provide support for local Government. The Department are also involved in environmental awareness initiatives like tidy towns, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Monument service and Heritage week.

Other relevant sites include:

• www.noticenature.ie - Ireland's public awareness campaign on biodiversity
• www.heritagecouncil.ie - The Heritage Council
• www.archaeology.ie - The National Monuments Service helps protect our archaeological heritage.
• www.met.ie - Met Éireann, the Irish National Meteorological Service
• www.buildingsofireland.ie - The Buildings of Ireland - the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH)
• www.irishspatialstrategy.ie – Striving to achieve a balance of social, economic and physical development
• www.npws.ie - Conservation of a range of habitats and species in Ireland
• www.tidytowns.ie- Tidy town National Competition

The National Planning Framework (NPF)

The Environmental Pillar in Social Partnership (www.environmentalpillar.ie) will be represented by a number of national level environmental groups. The Pillar aims to ensure that environmental considerations are fully reflected in Social Partnership discussions. Central are the themes of an environmentally sustainable economy, climate change, biodiversity, planning, water and transport.