On Thursday, January 27th 2022, Galway City Community Network (GCCN) in collaboration with the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) hosted a meeting exploring the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027 and the implications this can have on Galway City.
On this occasion, LAWPRO provided information on the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027.
The meeting presentation is available at the link here.

Ireland is currently in the latter stages of preparing the next River Basin Management Plan which sets out the environmental improvements, water quality objectives and programme of measures to be delivered during a river basin planning cycle, to help protect, improve and sustainably manage the national water environment to 2027.

The event hosted in Galway City aimed to provide attendees with information on the national draft Plan and the public consultation process currently in place for this, including a short online survey.

Conor Ruane, Community Water Officer (LAWPRO), stated:

“Galway is a city shaped by water. Water quality in Ireland has declined in recent years. We need urgent action to halt this decline and reverse the damage. This meeting will include information on what is proposed in the Draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2027 to protect and restore good water quality. Achieving this will deliver multiple benefits for water, climate, biodiversity, jobs, and communities. There will be a questions and answers session and time for discussion on local issues. This is your chance to have your say and to put forward your views on what needs to get done to help the waterbodies in Galway City and nationally”.

Jacinta Fay, GCCN Co-ordinator added:

“We welcome the opportunity to co-host this meeting and hear from the community in Galway City on the issue of water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries and seas. The input gathered from the attendees and all interested GCCN members involved will be incorporated into a submission on the draft Plan. It is important for as many diverse voices to come together in our aim to help protecting Ireland’s drinking water sources, environment and communities”.

Following this meeting, GCCN will welcome the opportunity to make a submission on the draft Plan in collaboration with all interested GCCN members.

At the end of this consultation period, LAWPRO will collect all submissions to produce a report for the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, ensuring that local communities have an input into the River Basin Management Plan for the next six years.