Catchment News

Virtual consultation room on the draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022–2027

LAWPRO have launched a Virtual Consultation Room to help facilitate public engagement and participation in the public consultation process on the draft River Basin Management Plan (dRBMP), which is open for a six-month public consultation up to 31 March 2022.

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) has distilled information in the draft River Basin Management Plan and presented it in this innovative online platform. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and public health advice, in-person public meetings cannot take place.

The LAWPRO draft RBMP Virtual Consultation Room

You can access background information on water quality, both nationally and in your county, and find out what’s in the plan. The room includes video, presentations, images, and text.

There is an easy-to-use online submission form to submit your views and comments.

Get involved and have your say on water quality matters and this plan for the next six years via https://drbmp-vcr.ie/   

Learn more:

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.

LAWCO

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.

EPA

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.

DECLG

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.