The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is inviting members of the public, and in particular community groups and individuals, with an interest in water quality, to a community information meeting on Thursday evening, 9th October 2025 at 7.00pm, in the Comworks, Loughrea, Co. Galway (H62KF63).
The Galway Bay South East catchment, which covers South East Galway, is one of only five pilots in Ireland. The meeting will provide an update on work to progress, and develop, the establishment of a pilot Catchment Community Forum for Galway Bay South East. It is expected that this pilot will continue to run for the next number of years. The meeting will also discuss water quality, and project funding for water quality related projects, in the Galway Bay South East Catchment.
The meeting follows an extremely successful, full day, workshop attended by many community groups, and representatives from across County Galway, last year. This workshop helped co-design the Catchment Community Forum model for the Galway Bay South East Catchment. The upcoming meeting on the 9th October, will update members of the public, and all interested parties, on the work which has taken place to review ways to actively include communities in the river basin management process.
The Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, has urged members of the public, local businesses, farmers and recreational water users in Galway to attend. “I strongly urge members of the public in Galway to attend the upcoming information event to help shape the upcoming forum in this area. Water quality affects us all. We want to bring together those who live, work, farm or just enjoy these waters. The voices and opinions of all present will result in real action on the ground. Through collaboration and engagement with local communities we can take positive action and play a pivotal role to safeguard our most precious waterways for generations to come,” he said.
This is part of a wider national initiative to support greater community and public participation in Ireland’s Water Action Plan (River Basin Management Plan for Ireland) which runs from 2024 to 2027. This Water Action Plan is Ireland’s roadmap for restoring and protecting water quality across Ireland’s 46 river catchments. One of the key elements within the River Basin Management Plan, is to put in place a Catchment Community Forum that meet the needs of local communities and their involvement in water quality matters. The Galway Bay South East catchment was selected on account of its regional significance in the West, the nature of the water quality pressures, and the fact that local community groups are active on the ground.
The new Catchment Community Forum (CCF) is intended to be a consultative forum around Water Quality in the Galway Bay South East area. It will act as a conduit to regional, and national decision making, around how we manage our natural waters in South East Galway. The CCF will also allow for local deliberation on water quality data, support local community action, and provide an opportunity to influence local plans, and projects, linked to our local environment (e.g. Local Catchment Management Plans).
The meeting on the 9th October, in Comworks, Loughrea (H62KF63) will outline what the Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum might look like, avenues for participation, and will outline the nomination process for participating in the Forum. This meeting is taking place as one of five pilot areas across the Republic of Ireland, proposed under the Water Action Plan, to explore avenues on how to include community perspectives, into catchment management work plans. Public participation in water management is a key element of protecting and restoring water quality across the country.
The agenda will include an introduction to the Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum, avenues for participation and the nomination process for participating in the Forum, and an enlightening session with Dr. Cillian Roden, with time at the end for discussion and Q&A.