EPA and RPII merge

Date released: Aug 01 2014

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) merged today.   RPII staff transfer to the EPA and RPII functions will now be carried out by a newly established Office of Radiological Protection within the EPA.

The merger brings together the committed and dedicated staff of the EPA and RPII to create a strong scientific organisation which will continue to place the same high value on both environmental and radiological protection. 

The EPA mission statement has changed to reflect the wider scope of its work, functions and responsibilities: The EPA mission statement is:

To protect and improve the environment as a valuable asset for the people of Ireland. To protect our people and the environment from harmful effects of radiation and pollution.

The EPA website www.epa.ie has also changed.  It now includes a new dedicated section about radiological protection.


ENDS

Notes to Editor:

  1. Merger of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII):
    The merger is underpinned by new primary legislation – the Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014.  This legislation transfers the RPII functions and staff to the EPA and takes effect from 1st August 2014.
  2. EPA Roles and Responsibilities:
    The Environmental Protection Agency is at the front line of environmental protection and policing. We ensure that Ireland's environment is protected, and we monitor changes in environmental trends to detect early warning signs of neglect or deterioration.  We are also responsible for ensuring that the people of Ireland are protected from the harmful effects of radiation. Our vision is to have a clean, healthy and well protected environment supporting a sustainable society and economy.
    Protecting our environment is a huge responsibility, and we work with a number of organisations that carry out our functions.
    The EPA is an independent public body established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. The other main instruments from which we derive our mandate are the Waste Management Act, 1996, and the Protection of the Environment Act, 2003 and Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014.
    We have a wide range of functions to protect the environment and people, and our primary responsibilities include:
    • Environmental licensing
    • Enforcement of environmental law
    • Environmental planning, education and guidance
    • Monitoring, analysing and reporting on the environment
    • Regulating Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions
    • Environmental research development
    • Strategic environmental assessment
    • Waste management
    • Radiological protection
  3. Radiological Protection information and services
    The following information about Radiation is now available on the EPA website at www.epa.ie/radiation.

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