New online environmental incident reporting tool launched by DAERA
Date published:
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir introduces innovative system to streamline public reporting and investigation of environmental issues.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has unveiled a new online reporting form designed to make it easier for the public to alert authorities to environmental incidents.
The new system removes the need for users to search the DAERA website for the appropriate contact and guides those wishing to report an environmental issue through a series of questions, capturing the key information required to investigate incidents and efficiently triage reports to the correct team.
It provides a single point of access for reporting environmental incidents such as illegal waste activities, amenity issues from regulated sites, damage being caused to designated habitats, illegal fishing, or environmental damage to a marine area.
When accessed via a mobile device, the form can automatically capture location data and allows users to upload photographs, making it particularly suitable for reporting incidents in real time.
Upon submission, users receive an automatic acknowledgement, including an incident reference number for follow-up. The system then allocates the report to the appropriate Departmental triage team depending on the type of incident - land, air, inland waterways, or marine. Incident reports can then be assigned swiftly to a team or individual to investigate.
The system also includes a case management function with workflow and document management capabilities, enabling all records associated with an incident to be stored centrally.
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir commented on the launch, saying: “I am delighted to announce the launch of this new system, which will help provide my Department with an enhanced level of detail to enable a more effective response and investigation to environmental incidents by improving the quality of information at the point of submission.”
Minister Muir added: “The introduction of an online reporting form will also make it easier for the public to alert us to environmental incidents, enabling more timely investigation. At this stage, the new system does not yet cover the reporting of Water Pollution Incidents, however these will be incorporated in due course. In the meantime, members of the public should continue to report suspected water pollution incidents through the existing NIEA Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
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