As Ireland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the legal and environmental sectors are preparing for a pivotal dialogue on the future of regulatory oversight. The Irish Centre for European Law (ICEL) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced that they will co-host the annual Environmental Law Enforcement Conference on Friday, 4 December 2026.
The event, which will be held at Chartered Accountants House in Dublin 2 and livestreamed to an international audience, serves as a critical forum for practitioners, policymakers, and academics to address the evolving landscape of climate law. Convened by Dr. Tom Ryan of the EPA and Professor Áine Ryall of the ICEL and University College Cork, the conference aims to bridge the gap between ambitious climate policy and effective legal enforcement.
In an era defined by accelerating infrastructure requirements and increasingly stringent EU mandates, the conference seeks to navigate the friction between development needs and environmental protection. With Ireland currently leading the Council of the EU, the timing of the summit is significant, providing a stage for discussions on how national regulatory frameworks can be harmonized with broader international and European obligations.
The keynote address will be delivered by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and a founding member of The Elders. Known for her global advocacy on climate justice, Robinson’s contribution is expected to frame the day’s discussions within the context of human rights and the urgent necessity for robust environmental governance.
The speaker lineup features a cross-section of Ireland’s most prominent legal and regulatory figures. The morning and afternoon sessions will feature insights from members of the judiciary, including the Hon. Justice Anthony M. Collins of the Court of Appeal and President of the ICEL, Judge Suzanne Kingston of the General Court of the European Union, and retired Supreme Court Justice Ms. Justice Marie Baker. Their participation underscores the increasingly judicialized nature of environmental policy, as courts play an ever-greater role in interpreting climate obligations.
Strategic oversight will be represented by Dr. Eimear Cotter, Director General of the EPA, and Oonagh Buckley, Secretary General of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. Their contributions will likely focus on the practical challenges of state-level implementation, particularly in reconciling the urgent need for national infrastructure with the rigorous demands of environmental compliance.
Further intellectual rigor will be provided by Mr. Justice Frank Clarke, President of the Law Reform Commission, who will bring his expertise to the discussion on legal development. Additionally, Liam Cashman, a former senior expert at the European Commission’s DG Environment, will offer a perspective on the mechanics of EU environmental enforcement. Technical and academic depth will be provided by Tom Flynn SC, chair of the Planning, Environmental & Local Government Bar Association (PELGBA), and Dr. Orla Kelleher of Maynooth University, who will explore the criminological and regulatory facets of environmental law.
The agenda reflects a broad scope, covering the impact of EU and international law, the mechanics of environmental governance, and the emerging challenges posed by the green transition. As stakeholders grapple with the dual pressures of economic development and planetary boundaries, this conference seeks to provide the legal clarity required to ensure that environmental protection remains both enforceable and effective.
Registration for the conference is now open, with full details and the final programme available through the Irish Centre for European Law website at www.icel.ie. For those unable to attend in person, the inclusion of a livestreaming option ensures that the discourse will be accessible to a global community of experts committed to upholding the rule of law in the interest of the environment.
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