W3C Compliant - AA Accessible

Environment Legislation And Regulations


The main Environmental legislation and regulations affecting OPW in its flood risk management activities are:

Natural Habitat Regulations:  In accordance with Section 31 of the European Communities (Natural Habitat) Regulations, 1997, where an operation or activity is carried out by the State that is likely to have a significant effect on a European Site, an appropriate assessment should be carried out on the implications for that site in view of its conservation objectives. The operation or activity shall only be undertaken when it is ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site and then, having regard to conclusions from the assessment. A strategic approach to managing this requirement for environmental assessments is set out in the OPW's - Screening Report - "Screening of Natura 2000 Sites for Impact of Arterial Drainage Maintenance Operations".  The OPW has carried out a series of Ecological Impact Assessments of Arterial Drainage Maintenance. The assessment reports are available here.

Wildlife Acts:  The components of the Wildlife Acts that are of most relevance to drainage works are contained in the following document.(Link to be inserted)

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): The components of EIA legislation that are of most relevance to drainage works are contained in the following document. (Link to be inserted)

Water Framework Directive (WFD): Implementation of the WFD is achieved through project consultants for the eight River Basin Districts (RBD) in the state including one wholly in N.Ireland. The Environment Section represents the OPW on the seven RBDs relevant to the Republic of Ireland through attending the various management meetings, other consultations and acts as the singular streamlined contact point for the RBD project teams and the OPW. A series of technical and expert working groups run parallel to compliment the RBDs projects teams which are coordinated with as the need arises.

OPW's Arterial Drainage Maintenance Service is proactively improving its environmental performance through raising standards of front line staff work procedures, improving two-way communications with Wildlife & Fisheries. Current opinion is that maintenance is not of sufficient scale or nature to detract from good biological water quality and it is foreseen that drainage channels should be able to attain and maintain Good Ecological Status (GES).