About NIEA
Our aim is,
"To protect, conserve and promote our natural environment and built heritage for the benefit of present and future generations."
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency(NIEA) is the largest Agency within the Department of the Environment with approximately 700 staff.
NIEA takes the lead in advising on, and in implementing, the Government's environmental policy and strategy in Northern Ireland. The Agency carries out a range of activities, which promote the Government's key themes of sustainable development, biodiversity and climate change. Our overall aims are to protect and conserve Northern Ireland's natural heritage and built environment, to control pollution and to promote the wider appreciation of the environment and best environmental practices.
Our work is a diverse and integrated network that draws on the many different scientific and professional skills and expertise of our staff. This variety of skills base and experience allows us to manage and protect our landscapes and their wildlife, to record and conserve historic monuments and to maintain a cleaner and greener environment. While many of our staff join the service with technical and professional qualifications our commitment is to actively encourage and promote their further training and development. This has been recognised externally through our accreditation as an Investors in People organisation.
We aim to provide a high standard of service to our customers. These standards are set out in our Customer Charter (PDF 463 Kb) 
and Environmental Legislation and Service Standards (PDF 516Kb) . Our Complaints Procedure: A Guide for Customers. (PDF 306Kb) will tell you what to do if you are not satisfied with the standard of service you received .
NIEA Board
The Executive Agency is headed by a Chief Executive and a Board of Directors which spans four Directorates – Natural Heritage, Built Heritage, Environmental Protection and Corporate Services.
The NIEA Board ensures the Agency carries out its statutory functions and activities, which are governed by primary legislation and regulations. NIEA makes an important contribution to the Department’s achievement of its objectives, through setting and meeting of objectives in the Agency’s Business Plan 2008/09 [pdf]
The Chief Executive of the Agency is also the Agency Accounting officer and is responsible for the financial management of the Agency’s resources within budgets and protocols set by Government.
Open meetings of the NIEA Board give the public an opportunity to see clearly how the Agency discusses its business. The Board holds meetings in public and publishes Board meeting agendas, papers and decisions.