Ireland is one of the worst polluters in the EU, ranking fourth among member states.
Only Germany, Italy and Spain - countries of consideraby larger populations - have more outstanding complaints against them, according to official EU figures.
Documents accessed under the Freedom of Information Act, and made public by Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna, show how Ireland has "stalled enforcement of EU waste law and continues to downplay its huge waste crisis and displays an arrogant and irresponsible laissez-faire attitude".
The State has failed to fulfill EU obligations in relation to the environment, hazardous waste and waste management plans, the documents reveal.
Ireland has received 111 complaints from the European Commission over environmental infringements. Ireland now accounts for 10 per cent of all environmental complaints under investigation by the EU making the country one of the worst polluters in Europe.
The European Commission blames Ireland's waste management crisis on a failure to invest in waste facilities and it’s lack of strategy in preventing waste at source.
Ireland is relying on a network of landfills which are in many cases inadequately engineered to prevent air, soil and water pollution. Most are not lined with a membrane to prevent harmful leachate from polluting groundwater supplies.
The Commission said the management of such landfills "leaves a lot to be desired" and "encourages illegal dumping". "As there is a severe capacity problem, it is very attractive to dispose of waste illegally," the commission said.
The EC has also expressed serious reservations about Ireland’s failure to fully implement the Nitrates directive.
Ireland is the only EU country which has not dealt with the issue under the Nitrates Directive of 1992 and legal moves have been made by the Commission to punish Ireland for its failure to respond to the problem.
Ireland is also set to go to court this year for failing to comply with the Drinking Water Directive and the Directive on Disposal of cancer causing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenals).
There are also a series of European citations relating to non-compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and the Habitats Directive.