The Environmental Protection Agency has added an interactive map viewer to its website.
The new tool, which was launched by the Minister for the Environment yesterday, will enable people to monitor their surrounding area and access information and environmental data gathered by the agency.
ENVision is part of the agency's 2020 vision to "protect and improve Ireland's environment". It allows easy public access to data on air quality, water quality and industrial or waste facilities including landfills that are licensed by the EPA.
Dr Mary Kelly, director general of the agency, said the site "provides the public with a 'what's in my backyard?' approach to the data".
The website, which is similar to Google Earth, is easy to use and freely accessible via the EPA's website, www.epa.ie.
The site feature creates a window to the local environment for ordinary people in Ireland, Dr Kelly said.
The EPA expects that people will become fully involved in local environmental issues, even policing waste facilities where appropriate. This will be possible due to the easy access to data provided by the new website.