Ireland: Environmental Law

Ireland's Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2026 introduces significant reforms to judicial review procedures and planning law, while new EU packaging regulations and climate action consultations signal major environmental policy shifts. Key court decisions address wind turbine noise nuisance and water quality obligations under EU directives.

Ireland's Minister for Agriculture has published the draft General Scheme of the Deforestation and Forest Degradation Bill 2026, establishing the national enforcement framework for the EU Deforestation Regulation.

Ireland's Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 introduces a statutory framework to accelerate strategically important infrastructure projects through mandatory prioritisation by public bodies. Nine major projects spanning transport, water, and energy have been designated, raising questions about how accelerated delivery will be balanced against climate obligations. The legislation's disapplication of certain climate considerations has sparked debate about the intersection of infrastructure urgency and environme

On 1 April 2026, the High Court upheld the Commission’s grant of permission to Shannon LNG Limited in a challenge taken by Friends of the Irish Environment.

In Friends of the Irish Environment CLG v An Coimisiún Pleanála [2026] IEHC 205, Humphreys J dismissed a challenge to a decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála (Commission) to approve a 600 MW...

With the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (“CBAM”) now entering its operational period, the European Commission...

The promise of clean energy, economic growth and climate leadership is undeniable.

The CJEU held that Member States may require prior identification to ensure proper functioning of procedures.

On 28 January 2026, the Central Bank of Ireland (“Central Bank) published a consultation paper on prohibition notices under the fitness and probity (“F&P”) regime (“CP166”).