Environmental Due Diligence

There is now a large body of Irish and European environmental law and an increasing number of textbooks and articles providing guidance through the maze.

Peter Polden, a partner in the Litigation Department of A & L Goodbody and is head of the firm's Environmental Law Unit, takes a look at the practical application of the law to what is commonly known now as an "environmental due diligence" exercise.

1. When a client - usually a prospective purchaser, tenant, or lender - takes your advice on a target property it is likely that the twin concerns will be valuation and liability. Liability, of course, can affect valuation. Environmental liability can be significant. In extreme cases an environmental problem can give a negative valuation to a property. Philip has dealt with the valuation issue and I want to add a few comments with regard to the liability issue.