The European Commission is to take legal action against the Irish Government over foul smelling wastewater treatment plants.
One of the plants in question is Dublin City's main plant at Ringsend.
Action is also being taken over the Government's handling of what the Commission described as the environmental disaster of the Derrybrien landslide in Co Galway.
The European Commission has accused Ireland of violating EU health and environment laws and says it intends to take two separate cases against the Government in the European Court of Justice.
The commission is also sending the Government a written warning for its alleged failure to take steps to prevent damage to the ozone layer.
The Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, told RTÉ News that he did not think taking Ireland to court was the best way to deal with the issues. And he strongly criticised the commission for announcing its decision by press release before it informed the Government.
But the European Commission has dismissed the criticism by saying it had informed Ireland's permanent representation to the EU at its office in Brussels of the decision.
