New Director Joins the Board of the Environmental Protection Agency

Date released: September 18, 2025

The EPA is pleased to welcome Pat Byrne onto the EPA Board. Pat will take up his new position as Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring with immediate effect.

Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA, welcomed Pat onto the Board, where he joins fellow Directors Dr Eimear Cotter (Office of Evidence and Assessment), Dr Tom Ryan (Office of Environmental Enforcement) David Flynn (Office of Environmental Sustainability) and Darragh Page (Office of Communications and Corporate Services.)

Pat joined the EPA in 1999 and has extensive experience in a wide range of EPA functions including the Environmental Licensing and Enforcement of industrial, waste and wastewater activities. He has represented the EPA nationally and internationally, led national investigations and chaired oral hearings. Pat was appointed as Programme Manager of Environmental Monitoring & Surveillance in 2021 and moved to Waste & Local Authority Enforcement in 2024.

He holds a bachelor’s degree of Agricultural Science, Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Protection, and Master’s in Business Practice.

ENDS

Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office:

053-91 70770 (24 hours) and media@epa.ie

Notes to Editor

The Environmental Protection Agency is managed by a full-time Executive Board consisting of a Director General and five Directors. A Director of the EPA is a full-time executive position, with a five-year term of office. Appointment of Director of the EPA by Government follows from a recommendation made by an independent selection committee convened in accordance with the EPA Act, 1992.  The independent selection committee conducts a public recruitment competition to select candidates suitable for recommendations to Government.