The new plan, unveiled yesterday by Ministers Malcolm Noonan and Roderic O'Gorman in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, allows the local community to develop Community Action Plans for each Catchment. However, Ireland and the UK’s leading freshwater charity has identified that significantly more funding is needed to allow community groups, such as rivers trusts and catchment groups, to deliver projects to improve the water quality in our lakes and rivers. These actions are urgently needed to contribute to the overall objective of the Water Framework Directive to reach good ecological status in all water bodies in Ireland by 2027.

The national Plan aims to only restore a maximum of 300 waterbodies to ‘good’ ecological status by 2027, a goal that The Rivers Trust believes is insufficient given the scale of the water quality crisis and highlights is a significant ‘down-scaling’ of the ambitions set by the EU Water Framework Directive, that all waterbodies would reach good ecological status by that date.

Despite being Ireland’s third River Basin Management Plan, legally mandated under the EU Water Framework Directive, The Rivers Trust warns that the plan does not set ambitious enough targets to achieve real change. Currently, 45% of Ireland’s waterbodies are failing to meet good quality standards, and the planned improvement to just 150 to 300 waterbodies over the next three years—less than 3% of the over 2,200 that require attention—is simply not enough.

The Rivers Trust Ireland Development Manager Dr Constanze O’Toole voiced the concerns in her response: “The Water Action Plan 2024, which is the third cycle of the Rivers Basin Management Plan from 2022 to 2027 and has a shortened timeframe to implement its targets while the climate is changing at an unprecedented rate increasing the pressures on our waters and biodiversity.

“The situation is critical, and a goal to improve just 6.8% to 13.6% of failing waterbodies by 2027 will not halt the decline. More robust measures are necessary to tackle pollution from agriculture, wastewater, and urban runoff—the primary causes of water quality degradation in Ireland.”

The plan includes provisions for increased farm inspections and the recruitment of 60 new local staff to address compliance, alongside the continued focus on tackling agricultural runoff, which remains the single largest source of water pollution in the country. While The Rivers Trust welcomes these measures, it argues that without more decisive, catchment-level strategies, the environmental pressures caused by intensive agriculture will persist.

Dr O’Toole added: “The additional resources for farm inspections are a positive step, but they need to be backed by stronger enforcement of pollution limits and more comprehensive changes to agricultural practices. It is also concerning that the plan does not sufficiently address the chronic issue of outdated wastewater treatment infrastructure, which continues to discharge pollutants into our rivers and lakes.”

There are, however, some positives within the Water Action Plan 2024. Notably, the plan commits to a review of the Arterial Drainage Act, an outdated law that mandates harmful river dredging and drainage activities. Physical alterations to rivers have long been recognised as a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems.

“We commend the inclusion of a review of the Arterial Drainage Act, which is long overdue,” Dr O’Toole stated. “For years, this legislation has permitted activities that degrade the physical structure of our rivers and destroy vital habitats. Reforming this law will be essential in restoring our waterways and enhancing biodiversity.”

The development of Catchment Management Plans and the involvement of local communities, as highlighted in the plan, is another element that The Rivers Trust acknowledges as a step in the right direction. The Trust has long advocated for community-based water management strategies and greater public participation in water policy.

“Empowering local communities to take an active role in managing their own water resources is key to achieving long-term success. The commitment to local engagement is something we strongly support, but it must be coupled with clear action and measurable outcomes,” Dr O’Toole said.

While aspects of the Water Action Plan 2024 are commendable, The Rivers Trust believes that the overall plan lacks the ambition and urgency needed to meet Ireland’s obligations under the EU Water Framework Directive as well as meet Ireland’s climate and biodiversity crisis head on. As the final deadline of 2027 approaches, the Irish government must introduce stronger, more targeted measures to ensure that Ireland’s waters can support healthy ecosystems and remain a source of clean drinking water for future generations.

“This is not the time for half measures,” concluded Dr O’Toole. “Ireland’s rivers and lakes are in decline, and the time for action is now. We urge the government to review the plan in 2025, as promised, and ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to truly restore the health of our waters.”

Water Action Plan: Ireland’s River Basin Management Plan 2022 – 2027 can be downloaded here.