The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in Ireland’s river catchments, has awarded €856,260 in funding to 40 community groups in 19 counties under the ‘Catchment Support Fund Open Call 2025’.

The Catchment Support Fund was launched last year as a direct response to the Resilience Pilot Project Evaluation, in addition to an external review of LAWPRO’s other fund – the Community Water Development Fund. Both reviews indicated that funding was necessary to build capacity in local groups to support Ireland’s third River Basin Management Plan, the Water Action Plan 2024.

Over €500,000 was awarded to 37 organisations in 2024. This year’s allocation will help build the capacity of non-governmental organisations focussed on water quality by providing funding to enable them to achieve their goals.

The funding will support a diverse range of projects nationwide including:

• River and catchment conservation: 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.

This funding forms an important part of Ireland’s Water Action Plan in restoring Ireland’s waterbodies to ‘good’ status or better, and to protect against further deterioration between 2023 and 2027. It aims to do this through an “integrated catchment management approach”, understanding the area, water uses, potential threats and bringing together science and communities.

Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, said this year’s allocation (an increase of €300,000 on 2024) was in response to increased demand from groups to carry out larger water quality and protection projects. “As well as promoting water stewardship and water quality, it enables local communities to play an active role in Ireland’s Water Action Plan,” the Minister noted.