Environmental group slams Govt record

The new Irish branch of the environmental organisation Friends of the Earth has slammed the Government's record on environmental protection.

In a report published today to coincide with the launch of Friends of the Earth Ireland, the organisation said Ireland was on the verge of becoming an environmental disaster.

It said the number of environmental complaints against Ireland was higher per capita than any country in the EU.

It also said the European Court of Justice had found Ireland guilty of breaching its environmental law on nine occasions.

Friends of the Earth said the island of Ireland had the weakest enforcement of environmental law in western Europe and north-south co-operation was needed to address the problem, particularly in the area of illegal dumping.