The Local Authority Waters Programme welcomes the Water Action Plan for Ireland 2024
Along with the launch of the Community Water Development Fund for 2025
Thursday, 5th of September 2024: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) has launched the Water Action Plan 2024 today in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. The Water Action Plan (WAP) sets out the measures that are necessary to protect and restore water quality in Ireland under the EU Water Framework Directive up to 2027.
The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is dedicated to enhancing water management and environmental protection across the country and provides the local knowledge required for targeting of many potential measures. It effectively supports communities to engage with their local waterbodies and participating in the WFD process.
Supporting the launch of the WAP, LAWPRO also launched the 2025 Community Water Development Fund Open Call (CWDF). The fund supports communities to deliver positive actions for water quality, protection and awareness through community grants. In the 2024 funding call, over €700,000 grant aid was awarded to 155 water quality projects. The fund is open to all community and voluntary groups to help in the protection and management of water quality, both locally and in the wider catchment. Interested community and voluntary groups can download the guidelines and complete the grant application form online at lawaters.ie from 18th September with a deadline of 20th November 2024.
Speaking about the publication of the WAP and the launch of the 2025 CWDF, Anthony Coleman Director of Services at LAWPRO said: “The Water Action Plan is a further significant step towards protecting water quality across our island. It is LAWPRO’s role to support regional implementation of the ‘right measure in the right place’ on a catchment level. We ensure a consistency in approach to water quality measures across all local authorities in Ireland”.
We do this through our Communities Team engaging with the general public and the myriad of community and voluntary groups that have a keen interest in their local water bodies; the catchment science and management work in Priority Areas for Action and by implementing the new Farming for Water EIP Project in partnership with Teagasc / ASSAP and Dairy Industry Ireland. As part of the third cycle, we also welcome the commitment to review the work of LAWPRO to determine the level of resources required to meet Water Framework Directive objectives.
Under the Water Action Plan, the Community Water Development Fund was reviewed and recommendations will be implemented in 2025. The small-scale projects application process has been streamlined and we will welcome applications for grant aid of up to €5,000 throughout the year. Medium to large scale water quality projects will be targeted where they are needed the most and we invite applications under the current Open Call.”
Speaking at the launch the Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, TD said: “We are delighted to give local communities and groups throughout Ireland the opportunity to make a positive impact on the streams, rivers and lakes in their local areas. The Fund will support the implementation of the Water Action Plan 2024 by raising awareness and improving waterbodies nationwide. Community engagement is an important element in the success of the Plan, with the benefits of increased public participation being recognised through the strengthening of the Community Water Development Fund up to 2027.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Alan Dillon TD said: “We are delighted to introduce the Community Water Development Fund for 2025, which funds local community projects to enhance their local streams, rivers and lakes. This work will play an important role in the Water Action Plan, focusing on the participation of the public in water quality and biodiversity.”
An ambition in the Water Action Plan is to determine the supports needed for the formation and capacity building of local forums which will identify and support implementation of measures to protect and improve water quality that meet the needs of communities and other sectoral interests. LAWPRO ran workshops this Summer using one pilot catchment per region to explore and develop a community forum model that will be rolled out across all 46 catchments in Ireland.
To view the Water Action Plan for Ireland 204, see: www.lawaters.ie/publications
For more information on LAWPRO visit: https://lawaters.ie/
ENDS
Photo caption 1:
L-R: At the launch of the Water Action Plan today at Grennan Mill in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland, Roderic O’Gorman TD, Anthony Coleman Director of Services at LAWPRO & Mags Keegan Regional Coordinator at LAWPRO.
Photo Caption 2:
L-R: Launching LAWPRO’s Community water Development Fund for 2025 is Mags Keegan Regional Coordinator at LAWPRO, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland, Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan, Sheevaun Thompson Funding Lead at LAWPRO and Anthony Coleman Director of Services at LAWPRO.
For media information:
Sadhbh O’Neill
Communications & Engagement Lead
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO)
T: 085 850 0409
About Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) https://lawaters.ie/
Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water through catchment science and local community engagement. LAWPRO was established to fulfil requirements under the European Union Water Framework Directive and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. LAWPRO coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan.