Ministers announce €195,901 for community water quality improvement projects in Dublin
Dublin People 24 Apr 2026
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, have announced €195,901 in funding for projects aimed at improving water quality in Dublin.
The funding has been awarded through the Community Water Development Fund and the Catchment Support Fund, both administered by the Local Authority Waters Programme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Of the €2,445,229 awarded nationwide, €1,332,492 will be delivered through the Community Water Development Fund to 92 projects nationally and €1,112,737 through the Catchment Support Fund to 56 groups across 20 counties, in addition to two national projects.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne, TD, welcomed the announcement: “Local action by communities and groups is critical in our efforts to protect our waters. Through the Community Water Development Fund and the Catchment Support Fund, we are providing significant investment in the grassroots work of local communities and voluntary groups who care deeply about water quality in their local areas. My Department’s funding supports these groups to deliver meaningful projects that protect and restore local rivers, lakes and streams.”
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, added: “Communities are passionate about their rivers, streams, lakes and coastal areas, and I’m delighted that the €2.4m we’re announcing today will support local efforts to protect and restore them. The Government is committed to improving water quality, and this investment will enable the Local Authority Waters Programme to continue their work supporting groups across the country to deliver on our shared goals for nature. I’d like to thank everyone who is dedicating their time, energy and expertise to these amazing habitats and wish them the best of luck as they undertake their projects.”
Projects in Dublin awarded funding were:
Community Water Development Fund:
|
Baldoyle Bay Seagrass Restoration Project |
Baldoyle Bay Seagrass Restoration Project – Water Quality Testing |
€15,000 |
|
Ballyboughal Community Council |
Feasibility study for?Ballyboughal?Riverwalk |
€19,000 |
|
Connecting?Cabra |
Flood Alleviation?Cabra?East (It’s?Raining,?It’s?Pouring.?There’s?nowhere for it to go) |
€15,000 |
|
Dodder Action |
Upper Dodder Invasive Plant Species Removal |
€25,928 |
|
Four?Districts Woodland?Group |
Addressing pressures and supporting wildlife;?a?management?plan for the River Camac & its’ tributaries of Rathcoole and?Saggart |
€8,900 |
|
Green Ocean Foundation |
Water monitoring (Dun Laoghaire) and water quality enhancement (Malahide) |
€20,000 |
|
Knocklyon Network CLG Advertisement |
Knocklyon – A Future Water Wonderland |
€20,000 |
|
Liffey Salmon Project |
River?Griffeen?Barriers – Designing and Developing Options & Flood Risk Assessment |
€36,350 |
|
Rush Tidy Towns |
?Rush Tidy Towns |
€7,100 |
|
Slang River Biodiversity Group |
Slang River Biodiversity Project: Building Knowledge for Collective Stewardship |
€7,000 |
Catchment Support Fund:
|
Dodder Action |
€1,349.20 |
|
Flossie and The Beach Cleaners |
€15,300 |
|
Liffey Salmon Project |
€4,974.10 |
Under the Community Water Development Fund, local communities and groups receive grants for projects and initiatives to enhance local water bodies thereby helping to improve water quality and protect biodiversity.?While the Catchment Support Fund builds the capacity of community groups actively involved in water quality management by providing financial assistance for their core costs, including staff salaries, administration and promotional materials.
Both funds help community groups and organisations to deliver a wide range of projects to improve water quality nationwide, including:
- River and catchment conservation and restoration: 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.
- Preparation of reports: feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and?hydromorphological?studies.
Commenting on the 2026 fund, Director of Services for the Local Authority Waters Programme, Anthony Coleman said: “Local communities play a vital role in protecting and improving our water quality. The Local Authority Waters Programme is proud to support the work of community groups, volunteers and NGOs across the country through our funding programmes, helping them take action to improve and protect our waterways for current and future generations.”
Local Authority Waters Programme staff have seen increased demand for these funding schemes which have grown significantly in recent years. Both funds have nearly doubled in the past two years alone, with the Community Water Development Fund rising from €702,000 in 2024 to almost €1.3 million in 2026, and the Catchment Support Fund rising from €500,000 in 2024 to over €1.1 million in the current funding announcement.
These funding schemes are an important commitment within Ireland’s Water Action Plan 2024, the roadmap to restore our waterbodies to ‘good’ status or better and to protect against further deterioration up to 2027, as required under the EU’s Water Framework Directive.
For full details of grants awarded and more information on the work of the Local Authority Waters Programme visit: www.lawaters.ie
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