The Irish public would not recognise the ranking of Ireland by the European Environment Agency (EEA) at the bottom of the European environment league because it "does not tell the whole story", according to Minister for the Environment Dick Roche.
Reacting to the EEA's report on the state of the environment in 31 European countries, published yesterday, he insisted there had been significant improvements in recent years such as "the end of smog in our cities" and of the dumping of raw sewage at sea.
Mr Roche said The European Environment: State and Outlook 2005 report recognised an increasing awareness of the environment here and a willingness to act where necessary, as evidenced by the plastic bag levy and the smoking ban in bars and restaurants.
Referring to criticism of urban sprawl, he said: "We need not apologise for Ireland's economic success which has seen one-third of all Irish homes constructed in the past 10 years ... by putting in place policies which are suited to the needs of the Irish people".
The Minister attributed the rise in greenhouse gas emissions to economic growth and a rapidly-increasing population. This had "changed the nature of some of the environmental challenges now facing us".
However, Opposition politicians seized on the EEA report as evidence of the Government's failure to protect the environment.
Labour's environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore TD said it came as no surprise given "our dire record" on implementing EU legislation. He suggested that the Copenhagen-based agency should be invited to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment "to outline where we are failing in terms of environmental protection, and what we need to do to improve our overall record".
"Were a football team to find itself at the foot of the league table with little prospect of short-term improvement, serious questions would be asked about the management of the team," he said, adding that the blame ultimately rested with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Green Party environment spokesman Ciarán Cuffe TD described the report as an indictment of the Government. "We're producing more waste, driving further and gobbling up land with urban sprawl. This is a direct result of the Government's failure."
His party would put in place policies to reduce waste, improve public transport, encourage organic agriculture and promote renewable energy. "It's not rocket science but it requires a commitment from Government to take environmental policies seriously."
Fine Gael environment spokesman Fergus O'Dowd TD blamed a "lack of political will" by the Government, saying it had "consistently failed" to implement EU environmental legislation. "Unless there is a change of administration we will continue to languish at the bottom."
Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which supplied much of the data, shared the blame for the "disastrous job" it was doing. "This is one terrible report card too many. It's time to replace the EPA; they have failed."
However EPA director general Dr Mary Kelly said the report had highlighted "positive outcomes", including reduced serious pollution in rivers, increased use of wind energy, the plastic bag tax and an increased municipal waste recycling rate of 28 per cent.
"While Ireland's environment continues to be of generally good quality, there is no room for complacency. Rapid economic development in recent years has placed additional strains on the environment, particularly in the area of waste production and air emissions."
She said Ireland's environmental performance "must at least match our economic performance and exceed it in areas such as waste and air emissions where environmental improvement is required".