02 Jul 2026

Photo description: Water from a tap overflowing into a glass. Image by Ralf Ruppert from Pixabay   Overall compliance remains strong  Ireland’s environmental protection agency (EPA) has published its drinking water quality in public supplies 2025 report, covering performance across the public water network managed by Uisce Éireann. Microbiological compliance reached 99.8% of samples tested, while chemical standards were met in […]

18 Jun 2026

Image description: River Lee running through Cork City. Image by Daniel Byram from Pixabay.   Ireland’s water quality remained largely unimproved in 2025, according to the EPA’s latest monitoring report. Excess nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus from agriculture, wastewater discharge and runoff, continue to degrade water bodies across the country. Improvements in some rivers and lakes were offset […]

07 Apr 2026

Photo by Duncan Smith   The National Inshore Fishermen’s Association (NIFA) has issued a stark warning that Ireland’s inshore fleet is facing collapse due to a combination of soaring fuel costs, years of quota cuts, and what the association describes as deliberate government policy choices. Speaking on The Fishing Daily Podcast, NIFA Chair Michael Desmond and Vice-Chair […]

20 Jan 2026

Photo by Jean Vella   The Irish Government has been criticised for delays to marine protection legislation as environmental groups warn the country is falling behind on its commitment to protect marine habitats. A coalition of environmental organisations told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on 13 January that Ireland is falling behind on […]

07 Jul 2025

Photo of offshore wind farm by Jesse De Meulenaere   The UK Government has granted development consent for the Mona Offshore Wind Farm, a major clean energy project off the coast of North Wales. The announcement was made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, confirming approval under the Planning Act […]

03 Jun 2025

Image: Whale tail – Thomas Lipke   After 25 years of operation, Cork Whale Watch has ceased its tours, citing a significant decline in marine wildlife, as reported in the Guardian. Colin Barnes, the founder of Cork Whale Watch and a veteran marine observer, announced the closure, expressing deep concern and attributing the drop in […]

03 Jun 2025

Image: Wind turbines – Mert Kahveci   Ireland’s ambitious offshore wind energy targets are under scrutiny as industry leaders express concerns over potential delays and missed objectives. At the recent Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) Offshore Wind Conference held in Dublin on 27th – 28th May, stakeholders highlighted the urgency of governmental action to ensure the […]

06 May 2025

The Irish government has announced the start of work to prepare a National Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP). This follows the approval of the South Coast ORE DMAP by both houses of the Irish parliament in October 2024. “Having a single National DMAP will accelerate the process of site designation for offshore […]