24th April 2026: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, have announced €2,445,229 in funding for projects aimed at improving water quality across the country. The funding has been awarded through the Community Water Development Fund and the Catchment Support Fund, both administered by the Local Authority Waters Programme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Of the total awarded, €1,332,492 will be delivered through the Community Water Development Fund to 92 projects nationally and €1,112,737 through the Catchment Support Fund to 56 groups across 20 counties, in addition to two national projects.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne, TD, welcomed the announcement:
“Local action by communities and groups is critical in our efforts to protect our waters. Through the Community Water Development Fund and the Catchment Support Fund, we are providing significant investment in the grassroots work of local communities and voluntary groups who care deeply about water quality in their local areas. My Department’s funding supports these groups to deliver meaningful projects that protect and restore local rivers, lakes and streams.”
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, added:
“Communities are passionate about their rivers, streams, lakes and coastal areas, and I’m delighted that the €2.4m we’re announcing today will support local efforts to protect and restore them. The Government is committed to improving water quality, and this investment will enable the Local Authority Waters Programme to continue their work supporting groups across the country to deliver on our shared goals for nature. I’d like to thank everyone who is dedicating their time, energy and expertise to these amazing habitats and wish them the best of luck as they undertake their projects.”
Under the Community Water Development Fund, local communities and groups receive grants for projects and initiatives to enhance local water bodies thereby helping to improve water quality and protect biodiversity. The Catchment Support Fund builds the capacity of community groups actively involved in water quality management by providing financial assistance for their core costs, including staff salaries, administration and promotional materials.
Both funds help community groups and organisations to deliver a wide range of projects to improve water quality nationwide, including:
- River and catchment conservation and restoration: initiatives to restore and protect local rivers and their ecosystems.
- Community engagement: programmes that promote water stewardship and raise awareness about water quality issues.
- Biodiversity enhancement: projects that support habitats and species dependent on clean water.
- Preparation of reports: feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and hydromorphological studies.
Commenting on the 2026 fund, Director of Services for the Local Authority Waters Programme, Anthony Coleman said:
“Local communities play a vital role in protecting and improving our water quality. The Local Authority Waters Programme is proud to support the work of community groups, volunteers and NGOs across the country through our funding programmes, helping them take action to improve and protect our waterways for current and future generations.”
Local Authority Waters Programme staff have seen increased demand for these funding schemes which have grown significantly in recent years. Both funds have nearly doubled in the past two years alone, with the Community Water Development Fund rising from €702,000 in 2024 to over €1.3 million in 2026, and the Catchment Support Fund rising from €500,000 in 2024 to more than €1.1 million in the current funding announcement.
These funding schemes are an important commitment within Ireland’s Water Action Plan 2024, the roadmap to restore our waterbodies to ‘good’ status or better and to protect against further deterioration up to 2027, as required under the EU’s Water Framework Directive.
Full list of Community Water Development Fund Grants:
| County | Organisation | Project Title at application stage | Region | Award |
| Carlow | Drummin Bog Project | Strategic Development Plan, Invasive Species Plan, Community Engagement in support of Drummin Bog wetlands conservation project | South East | €11,604 |
| Carlow | Myshall Nature/MyshallMuintir na Tire | Establish baseline surveys for water environment of the publics green spaces and outdoor education platform | South East | €5,089 |
| Carlow | Palatine GAA Club | Rain Garden and vegetated swales Construction | South East | €11,950 |
| Cavan | Drummany Spirit Group | Removal of Nuttallii water weed | Border | €15,000 |
| Clare | Carrigaholt
Development Association |
Carrigaholt Wetlands: Nature Enhancement for Moyarta Water Quality, Biodiversity Recovery, and Community-Led Stewardship | South West | €38,780 |
| Clare | Doonbeg Community Development Ltd | Doonbeg River Restoration Project (Access & Riparian Management) | South West | €16,551 |
| Clare | Lough Derg Anglers Association | Appropriate assessment & design a plan to enable best practice stream rehabilitation and water quality control measures | South West | €4,500 |
| Clare | Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary | Water Quality Actions for the River Graney | South West | €14,533 |
| Clare | Lough Atorick
Catchment Management Association (LACMA) |
Community collaboration to enhance water quality and biodiversity in the Lough Atorick Catchment (Clare and Galway) | South West | €25,000 |
| Clare | Quin Village Tidy Towns group | Rine River Project, Quin, Co. Clare, V95 RX75 | South West | €4,182 |
| Clare | Restore Ballymacraven River Association | Phase 3 Restoration Plan – Restore Ballymacraven River Association CLG | South West | €37,500 |
| Clare | The Woodland League | Native Riparian Tree Restoration, Community Nurseries & Food Forests for Water Resilience | South West | €6,000 |
| Cork | Bandon Environmental Action Group | Bandon Town – Removal of Riverbank Invasives | South West | €6,072 |
| Cork | Bantry Community Marine Centre CLG | Blue Dot Futures: Ecological & WFD Assessment for Bantry Marine Activity Centre | South West | €14,000 |
| Cork | Cork River Alliance Group (CRAG) | River monitoring including pipe and contamination survey | South West | €5,643 |
| Cork | Cork Sub Aqua Club | Protection and Promotion of Oysterhaven and Kinsale Seagrass Beds: A Habitat Conservation and Community Education Initiative | South West | €14,826 |
| Cork | Gougane Barra Angling Club. (Affiliated with TAFI, and Munster Regional Trout Angling Council) | Gougane Barra Lake Restoration – Weed Removal Project | South West | €18,124 |
| Cork | Schull Tidy Towns | SouRcE (Schull Rivers Enhancement) | South West | €6,860 |
| Cork | The Crann Centre | Owenanare River Area Scrape – a nature based solution to floodplain connectivity and habitat enhancement | South West | €3,995 |
| Donegal | Cloughaneeley Angling Association | River Tullaghobegley Freshwater Pearl Mussel Survey 2026 | Border | €17,440 |
| Donegal | Coiste Glan agus Glas,
Falcarragh Tidy Towns |
An Fál Carrach Blue Green Infrastructure Audit | Border | €19,987 |
| Donegal | Coiste Forbartha na Carraige | Survey of Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) along the lower Glen (Carrick) River. | Border | € 24,215 |
| Donegal | Deele Community Anglers CLG | River Deele: “Theory applied to the riverside = Improved water Quality” | Border | €10,024 |
| Donegal | Inishowen Rivers Trust | Bredagh River Community Water Action Project | Border | €6,333 |
| Donegal | Kilcar Parish Council / Comhairle Paróiste Chill Chartha | Ballaghdoo River Catchment Invasive Species treatment project, Training & Treatment & Environmental Centre Project | Border | €3,150 |
| Donegal | Naomh Padraig Leifear GAA CLG | Naomh Padraig Leifear GAA CLG Community Integrated Constructed Wetlands | Border | €8,815 |
| Dublin | Baldoyle Bay Seagrass Restoration Project. | Baldoyle Bay Seagrass Restoration Project – Water Quality Testing | Midlands and East | €15,000 |
| Dublin | Ballyboughal
Community Council |
Feasibility study for Ballyboughal Riverwalk | Midlands and East | €19,000 |
| Dublin | Connecting Cabra | Flood Alleviation Cabra East (It’s Raining, It’s Pouring. There’s nowhere for it to go) | Midlands and East | €15,000 |
| Dublin | Dodder Action | Upper Dodder Invasive Plant Species Removal | Midlands and East | €25,928 |
| Dublin | Four Districts Woodland Group | Addressing pressures and supporting wildlife; a management plan for the River Camac & its’ tributaries of Rathcoole and Saggart | Midlands and East | €8,900 |
| Dublin | Green Ocean Foundation | Water monitoring (Dun Laoghaire) and water quality enhancement (Malahide) | Midlands and East | €20,000 |
| Dublin | Knocklyon Network CLG | Knocklyon – A Future Water Wonderland | Midlands and East | €20,000 |
| Dublin | Liffey Salmon Project | River Griffeen Barriers – Designing and Developing Options & Flood Risk Assessment | Midlands and East | €36,350 |
| Dublin | Rush Tidy Towns | Rush Tidy Towns | Midlands and East | €7,100 |
| Dublin | Slang River Biodiversity Group | Slang River Biodiversity Project: Building Knowledge for Collective Stewardship | Midlands and East | €7,000 |
| Galway | ADL Woodland Group Galway | Kilafeen River Restoration Project | West | €40,000 |
| Galway | Annaghdown Angling Club | Kilroe River & Environment Rehabilitation, Riparian Zone, Provision of alternate water supply, Tree Planting. | West | €2440 |
| Galway | Bailte Slachtmhara Na
Forbacha |
Knocka Lough Project Phase 2 to Phase 4 | West | €5000 |
| Galway | Centre for Environmental Living & Training – CELT | Shannon River Keepers – Source to Sea | Saol na Sionnan | West | €12000 |
| Galway | Corrib Beo (on behalf of the Corrib Catchment Partnership) | Lough Corrib: Our Lake, Our Legacy — Inspiring Action to Protect Water Quality and Biodiversity | West | €5503 |
| Galway | Galway Chamber Sustainability Committee | Greening Merchants Road and Laneways Galway City Pilot Project | West | €4000 |
| Galway | Port Omna Beo Biodiversity Group | Portumna Community Water Restoration Plan: codesigned, nature-based solutions to improve local water quality and habitats | West | €5000 |
| Galway | The Kylemore Trust | Dawros River IAS survey | West | €6000 |
| Galway | Woodford Parish Development | Woodford Bay Riparian Margin Enhancement and Education | West | €4000 |
| Kerry | Ballybunion Community Forum – Nature Group | Ballybunion area Map & Control of the invasive species Himalayan Balsam | South West | €5,000 |
| Kerry | BEAG-Ballinskelligs Tidy Towns | CoastLinks: Biodiversity and Water Quality Monitoring from the Fertha Catchment to the Iveragh Coastline | South West | €15,000 |
| Kerry | Fenit Coast Conservation | Fenit Island Tombolo Sea Defence Works | South West | €20,000 |
| Kerry | Knocknagoshel Environmental and Angling Association | Knocknagoshel Integrated Constructed Wetland – A nature based solution to a rural development problem | South West | €19,578 |
| Kerry | Tralee Tidy Towns | Survey of Invasive Plant Species River Lee Catchment | South West | €9,000 |
| Kildare | Ballymore Eustace Tidy Towns & Ballymore Eustace Environmental Group (BEE Group) | Control of Himalayan Balsam along the River Liffey banks in Ballymore Eustace & environs | Midlands and East | €19,000 |
| Kildare | Johnstown Bridge Tidy Towns | Fear English & Millrace River Restoration & Conservation Project | Midlands and East | €16,500 |
| Kildare | Naas Biodiversity Group | Naas Lakes Constructed Wetland Design | Midlands and East | €10,000 |
| Kilkenny | Nore Vision | Biosecurity Security on Nore and Barrow | South East | €5,813 |
| Kilkenny | The Acorn Project | Strategy for Upland and Alluvial Woodland Restoration in the Nore Catchment | South East | €15,000 |
| Laois | Killeshin Waterworks Committee | Biodiversity and Water Quality Improvement and Educational Display at Killeshin Reservoir | South East | €28,230 |
| Laois | Mountmellick Women’s Shed | Removal of Invasive Species from Owenass river subcatchment | South East | €14,853 |
| Laois | Portlaoise Tidy Towns | People’s Park Pond Conservation Project | South East | €7,600 |
| Leitrim | Rossinver Fishery | Riparian fencing with Cattle Drinkers. Ballagh River. | Border | €5,636 |
| Limerick | Ballyhoura Heritage & Environment | Nature Based Interventions on Keale River / Molanna Loop Walk & associated works. | South West | €3,694 |
| Limerick | Limerick & District Anglers group | Lucas’s Ponds | South West | €5,500 |
| Limerick | Maigue Rivers Trust | West Liskennett river feasibility study for instream works to improve Habitat for Salmonids, Water Quality & Hydromorphology | South West | €22,320 |
| Longford | Longford Tidy Towns | Maintenance work on or clearance of inappropriate trees and vegetation from River Camlin Bridge St to North East Corner of Mall | Midlands and East | €7,900 |
| Louth | Dromiskin Tidy Towns | Alluvial Forest and interpretative signage at Ginnety’s Pond Nature Park | Border | €6,000 |
| Mayo | CALL | W/P 1: Phases 2 and 3: Catchment 32 NFM Options (Carrowniskey) AND WP 2: Action Training: Bunowen (Ballyhip) Rivers | West | €16,000 |
| Mayo | East Corrib Alliance | Establishment of riparian zone in Black River catchment at Kilshanvy, Browns Island and Brackloon | West | €20000 |
| Mayo | Kiltimagh Amenity Park CLG | Kiltimagh GAA riparian repair along the river Pollagh | West | €9000 |
| Mayo | Lough Carra Catchment Association | Community-led Baseline Monitoring and Pilot Biochar Project in a Karst Farm System, Lough Carra Catchment | West | €30000 |
| Mayo | One Westport For All | Carrowbeg? Your River. Carrowbeg! Your Community | West | €10000 |
| Meath | Boyne Rivers Trust | Riparian Woodland Restoration and coordinated Water Quality initiatives in the Boyne Catchment. | Midlands and East | €29,000 |
| Monaghan | Carrickmacross Tidy Town Committee | Feasability Study to assess attenuation pond at Eco Meadow, Tullynaskeagh East Linear Park | Border | €8,560 |
| Monaghan | Churchill/Oram GWS Soc. Ltd | Feasibility Study for a Large -Scale Water Quality Project application for Phase 2- Lough Muckno Road to Recovery Project | Border | €24,256 |
| Monaghan | Friends of the Upper Annalee Lakes | Phase 2 of the Upper Annalee Sub-catchment Mapping Project – a 3D model of the Upper Annalee catchment in Cavan and Monaghan | Border | €10,000 |
| Offaly | Rahan Community Hall | Creation of bio retention area Phase-Two – Hall car park | Midlands and East | €18,000 |
| Roscommon | Mount Allen Residents Association | IAS Removal and Management on the Arigna River | West | €19400 |
| Roscommon | Roscommon Tidy Towns | Roscommon Town – Restoration of Natural Waters through NbS at street level. | West | €7000 |
| Roscommon | Roscommon Town Team | Roscommon Town and Environs – Restoration of Natural Waters – Jiggy/Hind a feasibility study for the incorporation of NbS into the fabric of the town. | West | €23800 |
| Sligo | Ballisodare Fishing Club CLG | Water Quality Monitoring Equipment deployment to identify issues and optimise water quality in Ballisodare Catchment. | Border | €19,170 |
| Sligo | Donegal Bay Trust | Donegal Bay Nature Recovery Network | Border | €17,400 |
| Sligo | Lough Arrow Fish Preservation Association and District Anglers | Andersna River Enhancement Works | Border | €15,582 |
| Sligo | Sligo Bay Catchment River Trust CLG | Natural Flood Management Mitigation Project | Border | €8,700 |
| Tipperary | Borrisoleigh
Community Centre |
Water Harvesting for Borrisoleigh Community Centre | South East | €24,970 |
| Tipperary | Kilcommon Tidy Towns | Kilcommon river biodiversity & health survey | South East | €13,000 |
| Westmeath | Athlone Canal Heritage Committee | Creation of Swales along Eastern Bank Northern Stretch of Athlone Canal | Midlands and East | €8,250 |
| Westmeath | Ballinahown Community Development Co Ltd | Water management plan Ballinahown Village – nature based solutions Stage 3 plan 2026 | Midlands and East | €25,400 |
| Westmeath | Multyfarnham Tidy Towns | Multyfarnham Water Quality Improvement in Multyfarnham and the River Gaine Catchment | Midlands and East | €10,000 |
| Wexford | Ahare River and Biodiversity Group | Inch Sub-Catchment Feasibility Study | South East | €25,000 |
| Wicklow | Aughrim Tidy Towns CLG | Blue and green infrastructure assessment and action plan for Aughrim | Midlands and East | €35,000 |
| Wicklow | Baltinglass TidyTowns | Himalayan Balsam Eradication Project on River Slaney at Baltinglass | Midlands and East | €12,486 |
| Wicklow | ReWild Wicklow | Community Tree Nursery Expansion and Glencree Riparian Corridor Tree Planting | Midlands and East | €17,500 |
| National | Scouting Ireland | Blue Dot Ambassadors: Youth stewardship for Ireland’s high status waters – a pilot | Midlands and East | €10,000 |
| TOTAL FUNDING €1,332,492 | ||||
Full list of Catchment Support Fund Grants:
| County | Organisation Name | Region | Amount |
| Carlow | Drummin Bog Project | South East | €5,000 |
| Cavan | Friends Of Castle Lake Catchment | Border | €400 |
| Cavan | West Cavan Bogs Association (WCBA) | Border | €649.70 |
| Clare | Carrigaholt Development Association | South West | €21,916 |
| Clare | Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary | South West | €20,625 |
| Clare | Lough Atorick Catchment Management Association (LACMA) | South West | €6,453 |
| Clare | Restore Ballymacraven River Association (RBRA) | South West | €30,937 |
| Clare | Shannon Town Community Wetlands | South West | €3,897 |
| Cork | Cork River Alliance Group | South West | €5,000 |
| Cork | East Cork Rivers Trust | South West | €5,000 |
| Cork | Green Skibbereen CLG | South West | €16,397 |
| Cork | StreamScapes CLG | South West | €24,750 |
| Cork | Tracton Biodiversity Group , Affiliated to Tracton Community Council T/A Knocknamanagh CLG | South West | €16,500 |
| Donegal | Cloughaneeley Angling Assoc | Border | €4,930 |
| Donegal | Deele Community Anglers CLG | Border | €20,632 |
| Donegal | Inishowen Rivers Trust | Border | €50,000 |
| Donegal | South Donegal Living Rivers Services CLG | Border | €33,563 |
| Donegal | The Mill River Conservation Group Buncrana | Border | €1,029.72 |
| Dublin | Dodder Action | Midlands and East | €1,349.20 |
| Dublin | Flossie and The Beach Cleaners | Midlands and East | €15,300 |
| Dublin | Liffey Salmon Project | Midlands and East | €4,974.10 |
| Galway | Abhainn Dá Loilíoch Woodland Group | West | €26,000 |
| Galway | Carra Mask Corrib Water Protection Group | West | €2,665.90 |
| Galway | CELT | West | €2,500 |
| Galway | Corrib Beo | West | €50,000 |
| Galway | Cuan Beo Environmental CLG | West | €46,430.20 |
| Galway | Joyce Country and Western Lakes GeoEnterprise | West | €20,000 |
| Kerry | FENIT COAST CONSERVATION | South West | €480 |
| Kerry | Knocknagoshel Environmental and Angling Association | South West | €30,071 |
| Kilkenny | Nore River Catchment Trust | South East | €50,000 |
| Kilkenny | The Acorn Project | South East | €25,000 |
| Leitrim | Our Native Glens | Border | €1,066.45 |
| Leitrim | Rossinver Fishery | Border | €4,500 |
| Limerick | Castleconnell River Association CLG | South West | €31,092 |
| Limerick | Maigue Rivers Trust | South West | €30,145 |
| Louth | Oriel River Catchments and Coastal Association | Border | €16,599.32 |
| Mayo | CALL Climate Action Louisburgh Locality | West | €39,000 |
| Mayo | Kiltimagh Amenity Park CLG | West | €7,200 |
| Mayo | Lough Carra Catchment Association | West | €42,753 |
| Meath | Boyne Rivers Trust | Midlands and East | €40,000 |
| Meath | The Nanny and Delvin Rivers Trust CLG. | Midlands and East | €4,567 |
| Monaghan | River Blackwater Catchment Trust | Border | €30,000 |
| Sligo | Ballisodare Fishing Club CLG | Border | €24,000 |
| Sligo | Donegal Bay Trust | Border | €7,378 |
| Sligo | Sligo Bay Catchment River Trust CLG | Border | €11,902.73 |
| Tipperary | Cabragh Wetlands Centre CLG | South East | €50,000 |
| Tipperary | Suircan Environmental CLG | South East | €619.50 |
| Waterford | Tides & Tales Maritime Community Project CLG | South East | €1,009.40 |
| Westmeath | Lough Ennell Catchment Association | Midlands and East | €5,000 |
| Wexford | Ahare River and Biodiversity Development Group | South East | €5,000 |
| Wexford | Slaney River Trust CLG | South East | €42,718.70 |
| Wicklow | East Wicklow Rivers Trust CLG | Midlands and East | €33,000 |
| Wicklow | Rewild Wicklow | Midlands and East | €33,516 |
| Wicklow | Wicklow Uplands Council | Midlands and East | €29,220 |
| National | Community Wetlands Forum CLG | National | €5,000 |
| National | The Rivers Trust | National | €75,000 |
| Total Funding | €1,112,737 | ||