On Thursday 9th October, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) hosted a well-attended information evening for local community groups, organisations and members of the public in South East Galway to encourage public participation in an innovative new forum designed to tackle water quality issues in the area.
Taking place at the Comworks, Loughrea, Co. Galway, the landmark event is a key milestone in the development of the Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum, part of a national pilot programme under Ireland’s Water Action Plan.
The meeting followed an extremely successful workshop attended by many community groups, and representatives from across County Galway last year. The workshop helped co-design the Catchment Community Forum model for the Galway Bay South East Catchment.
The Galway Bay South East catchment, which covers South East Galway, is one of only five areas in Ireland piloting the Catchment Community Fora model outlined in the Water Action Plan.
Last Thursday’s meeting provided updates from LAWPRO staff on work to establish a pilot Catchment Community Forum for Galway Bay South East. This 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.
Luke Drea, LAWPRO Senior Community Water Officer, explained the process and added: “This forum is at pilot stage and gives community groups and individuals the opportunity to shape how the forum best supports the great work that is already being done in the Galway Bay South East Catchment. The forum will also have the freedom to decide which issues should be highlighted locally and also how the forum should interact with the current Water Framework Directive governance structure.”
At the meeting, Dr. Cilian Roden, an ecologist and botanist, animated the catchment for the audience and highlighted that the catchment was one of the most interesting water basins in Ireland. A range of issues were discussed, including the need to raise public awareness around water quality issues, how the proposed forum would interact with local catchment management plans, how the forum would interact with regional governance structures and how climate change was being factored into the proposed plans. The importance of positive messaging around farming and emphasising the actions farmers were taking to protect water quality in the catchment were also highlighted. The Farming for Water EIP was singled out as an example of a positive initiative supporting farmers to protect water quality.
The meeting was supported by community groups who are already doing significant positive work to improve water quality. Representatives from local groups included: Loughrea Anglers, Gort River Walk, Cuan Beo, IFA Environment Committee, Oranmore Tidy Towns, Galway Kayak Club, Water Safety Kinvara, Burren Lowlands Group, Kinvara and District SEC, Gort Biogas, Abhainn Dá Loilioch Woodland Group, Clarinbridge Kilcolgan SEC, CELT, Talamh Beo, Galway County Council, Naomh Breandáin Credit Union and ACRES.
The Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum will run from November 2025 to January 2027, providing a space for local deliberation on water quality data, supporting community-led projects, and influencing catchment management plans. This initiative is part of a wider national effort, through Ireland’s Water Action Plan, to restore and protect water quality across Ireland’s 46 river catchments, ensuring that community perspectives are embedded in future water governance.
One of the key elements within Ireland’s Water Action Plan is to put in place a Catchment Community Forum that meets the needs of local communities and their involvement in water quality matters. Public participation in water management is a key element of protecting and restoring water quality across the country.
The new Catchment Community Forum 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 our natural waters in South East Galway are managed.
For more information or to express interest in participating in the Galway Bay South East Catchment Community Forum, contact Janet Laffey, LAWPRO Community Water Officer for East Galway at: jlaffey@lawaters.ie.