The EPA is managed by a full-time Executive Board consisting of a Director General and five Directors.
Our Board
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is managed by a full-time Executive Board consisting of a Director General and five Directors. Our activities are organised into five Offices, with each Office reporting to a Director.
Our Directors and staff adhere to a code of business conduct in undertaking their duties. An Advisory Committee, chaired by the Director General, meets several times a year to raise issues of concern and offer advice to the Board.
Laura Burke
Director General
Laura Burke is the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), appointed in 2011 and served as a Director within the EPA since 2004. As Director General she has the responsibility to lead and strategically manage the EPA. Laura was the Chair of the European Environment Agency (EEA) Management Board from 2017 to 2023. Laura is a member of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) and a member of the High Level Implementation Committee of ‘Food Vision 2030’, the Irish Agri-Food Sector Strategy. Prior to joining the EPA, she worked in the private sector. Laura is a graduate chemical engineer of University College Dublin (UCD), holds an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin, is a Fellow and is President of Engineers Ireland and is a Chartered Director. In 2025 Laura was appointed an Adjunct Full Professor in University College Dublin. Laura received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering, issued by University College Dublin in September 2025. She is a member of the Board of Genio CLG. In 2016 Laura was awarded the UCD Engineering Graduates Association (EGA) Distinguished Graduate Award.
Dr Eimear Cotter (Deputy Director General)
Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment (OEA)
Eimear Cotter has been a Director in the EPA since 2017. She was appointed Deputy Director General in May 2025. Eimear is currently Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment with responsibility for climate including carbon emissions trading, water management, environmental research and data analytics. Previously she was Director of the Office of Environmental Sustainability which included responsibility for Environmental Licensing.
Eimear holds a BA (Mod) in chemistry from Trinity College Dublin, a PhD in atmospheric chemistry from Oxford University and an MBA from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is a Board member on the Governing Board of the Institute of Art, Design and Technology and the Governance Committee for the MaREI Research Centre. Eimear is a 2019 Eisenhower Fellow. She was formally a Board member on the National Statistics Board (2017-2023).
Director of the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE)
Tom Ryan was appointed in August 2018 as a Director of the EPA with responsibility for the Office of Environmental Enforcement. Prior to being appointed Director Tom served as a Programme Manager with the EPA, as Director of Radiation Protection Regulation with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) and also worked with the European Commission based in Luxembourg. Tom holds a BSc and PhD in experimental physics from UCD, an MSc in management practice from TCD, an LLM from the Sutherland School of Law, (UCD), a Diploma in Legal Studies from the King's Inns and is a Chartered Director.
Director of the Office of Environmental Sustainability (OES)
David Flynn joined the EPA Board in October 2023 and is the Director of the Office of Environmental Sustainability. David has responsibility for the Circular Economy, Environmental Licensing and Carbon Emissions Trading. David has over twenty years of experience in environmental science and protection. He has held various roles, most recently as a Principal Adviser in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Previously, he worked as Licensing Programme Manager and as Enforcement Programme Manager with the EPA. David holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental science, Master of Science, and an MBA from UCD.
Director of the Office of Communications and Corporate Services (OCCS)
Darragh Page was appointed as the Director of the Office of Communications and Corporate Services in 2025. Darragh has over 25 years of experience in environmental science and protection. He has held various roles, most recently as Programme Manager in the Water, Energy and Business Support programme in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Sustainability. Previously, he worked as National Enforcement and Industrial Licensing Enforcement Programme Manager in the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement.
Darragh holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Environmental Resource Management as well as a diploma in Geology. He also holds a Professional Diploma in Organisational Behaviour and Executive Coaching.
Director of the Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring (ORM)
Pat Byrne was appointed as the Director of the Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring in 2025. Pat has responsibility for three progarmme areas: Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance, Environment & Health, and Water Enforcement.
Pat brings over 28 years of experience in environmental protection, having held a wide range of roles within the EPA. His career has focused particularly on the regulation (licensing and enforcement) of industrial, waste, and wastewater activities, as well as environmental and radiation monitoring. Prior to his current role, Pat served as Programme Manager for Waste and Local Authority Enforcement, and previously Programme Manager for Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Science from University College Dublin (UCD), a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Protection from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Sligo, and a Master's in Business Studies from the Irish Management Institute (IMI).
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