EPA Water Conference
The EPA Water Conference is the EPA’s flagship annual event dedicated to protecting and restoring Ireland’s water quality. This hybrid gathering brings together scientists, policymakers, community groups, and industry leaders to share insights, showcase real-world case studies, and explore practical solutions for our rivers, lakes, ground and coastal waters. Covering themes such as policy, agriculture, health, emerging challenges, and the future of water, the conference plays a vital role in shaping sustainable catchment management and safeguarding this essential resource for generations to come.
2025 EPA Water Conference
The EPA Water Conference took place on 11 and 12 June 2025 in Galway and online. Over 240 people attended in person, with more than 500 registered online. This year’s conference, focused on the theme “Water Framework Directive – Navigating the Policy Landscape.”
The event featured sessions on policy direction, water action projects, water quantity and resources, and water quality initiatives. It also addressed agriculture’s role in water protection and showcased collaborative efforts across public bodies. The conference highlighted the importance of integrated planning and enforcement, with discussions on legal developments, EU policy changes, and practical case studies from across Ireland.
2025 EPA Water Conference – Conference Programme
2025 EPA Water Conference – Videos
Session 1: WFD Tier 1 (Direction of travel) Navigating the Policy Waterscape
| 1. Welcome address | Dr Eimear Cotter Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 2. Minister’s address | Christopher O’Sullivan Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, heritage and Biodiversity |
| 3. Implementing the Water Action Plan; Policy challenges and opportunities | Colin Byrne Principal Adviser, Water Division, Departmentof Housing, Local Government & Heritage(DHLGH) |
| 4. Tracking action – a new approach for water | Margaret Keegan Regional Coordinator Midlands and EastRegion, Local Authorities Waters Programme(LAWPRO) |
| 5. The National Climate Change Risk Assessment | Dr. Conor Quinlan Senior Manager, Climate Services, EPA |
Session 2: Water Action Projects
| 6. Peatlands water quality benefits from the enhanced decommissioning, rehabilitation & restoration scheme (EDRRS) | Enda McDonagh Environmental Manager, Bord na Móna |
| 7. Protecting water sources: reducing pesticide risks in the Erne-Larah catchment | Lorraine Gaston Integrated Catchment Manager, UisceÉireann |
| 8. Nature Restoration Regulation – what does it mean for water? | Dr. Rebecca Jeffrey Wildlife Inspector Grade I, Scientific Advice and Research Directorate, National Parks and Wildlife Service |
Session 3: Water Quantity and Water Resources
| 9. Water Abstraction and Associated Impoundments Authorisation | Ann Marie Donlon Inspector I, Water Energy and BusinessSupport, EPA |
| 10. National Barrier Mitigation Research Programme | Dr. Ciara O’Leary Senior Research Officer, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) |
Session 4: Water Quality Initiatives
| 11. The Water Forum – bringing science and stakeholder input to policy | Dr. Triona McGrath Research and Policy Lead, The Water Forum –An Fóram Uisce |
| 12. Biodiversity Data Centre – Invasive Species Action Plan | John Kelly Invasive Species Programme Manager, NationalBiodiversity Data Centre |
| 13. Investigating the likelihood of harmful algal bloom impacts in Ireland | Philip Taylor Environmental Data Scientist, UKCEH |
Session 5: Agriculture
| 14. Agriculture policy response | Dr. Noeleen McDonald Agricultural Inspector, Department ofAgriculture, Food and the Marine |
| 15. Better Farming For Water Campaign | Prof. Pat Dillon Director of Research, Teagasc |
| 16. Behavioural insights – ASSAP water quality measure uptake | Prof. Mary Ryan Environmental economics research, Teagasc |
| 17. Managing coastal waters: transitioning from top-down regulation to a balanced bottom-up/ top-down governance approach | Flemming Gertz Lead Scientific Advisor, SEGES Innovation |
EPA Water Conference Archive
2024 EPA Water Conference
2023 EPA Water Conference
2022 EPA Water Conference
2022 EPA Water Conference
Learn more:
You can watch all EPA Water Conference videos, along with recordings from other EPA events covering a wide range of environmental topics, on the EPA Ireland YouTube channel. Visit EPA Ireland on YouTube to explore the full collection.
Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.
This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.
Local Authority Waters Programme
The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.