This presentation was given at the Catchment Management Network meeting on February 24th 2017. The Catchment Management Network consists of the EPA, all of Ireland's Local Authorities, and other public bodies involved in looking after Ireland's catchments, sub-catchments and water bodies. For more information about this work see www.catchments.ie

1. Presentation on the Regional Water
and Environment Committees
Brendan McGrath
Chief Executive Galway City &
Chair of the Western Water and
Environment Committee

2. Legal Basis
• S.I. No. 350/2014 - European Union (Water Policy)
Regulations 2014:
• the Minister for the establishment of environmental
objectives and Programme of Measures and the
making of RBMPs
• the EPA for reporting to the EU, reviewing the impact
of human activities on the status of water
• local authorities for the purposes of regional
coordination, public consultation, the development
and implementation of river basin management plans
and programmes of measures with respect to their
functional areas.

3. Joined Up Governance
Tier 1: National
Management &
Oversight (DHPCLG)
Tier 3: Regional
Implementation via
Water Networks
(Local Authorities)
Tier 2: National
Technical
Implementation
and Reporting (EPA)

4. Developing Governance Framework

5. Regional Committees within the
Governance Framework

6. National Coordination and
Management Committee
• Each committeewill be represented on the
National Co-ordination and Management
Committee.

7. 5 Regional Committees
• Committees are chaired at Chief Executive Level:
– Western: Brendan McGrath, Galway City
– South Western: Collette Byrne, Kilkenny
– South East: Moira Murrell, Kerry
– Border: Frank Curran, Leitrim
– Midlands and East: John Flanagan, Dublin City

8. Role of Committees
• The role of the committees is developing as
the implementation structures are put in place
however their role is central to
“implementation of river basin management
plans and programmes of measures with
respect to their functional areas.”

9. Current envisaged Role of Committees
1. Overseeing the development of WFD work plans for the
region.
2. Being a conduit for engaging relevant stakeholders and
facilitating communicationand networking among
stakeholders.
3. Developing coordination of WFD implementation measures
across the region.
4. Exploring opportunities for joint actions and sharing of
resources between local authorities.
5. Collaborating with other governance structuresto bring
consistencyto implementation approach nationally.
6. Monitoring WFD implementation in the region in
conjunction with EPA.

10. Regional Work
• It is not possible to do everything so we must
– fit actions to resources
– taking into account priorities set out in the draft River
Basin Management Plan
• LAWCO and EPA are currently organising regional
workshops to consider outcomes of assessment
work and to develop potential actions that can be
taken over the lifetime of the plan
• The outputs from these workshops will be
provided to the committees to consider in the
context of available resources/national Priorities.

11. Regional Work
Catchment and
Sub Catchment
Assessments
NationalPriorities
set by Ministerin
Draft Plan
Available
resources and
opportunitiesfor
synergies with
other work
RegionalWork Plan

12. Available Resources
• A Business Case for additional
Local Authority Resources was
prepared during 2016 by a
project team led by Frank
Curran CE of Leitrim County
Council.
• This Business case has been
through the Peer Review
Process on 30 Jan 2017. The
Business Case and Peer Review
report will now be provided to
PSROG for decision.
• If accepted, these additional
resources will be directed via
the regional Water and
Environment Committees

13. Role of Committees
• Role may evolve during 2017 as the work on
finalising the second cycle RBMP is completed but
there is substantial work in defining work plans for
2018 based on available resources, priorities and
information from EPA. This work will need to take
place in 2017.
• Business Case for resources currently being
considered and will have a material impact on the
scale of work that will be included in work plans.

14. Summary
• Five regional water and environment committees are
now in place
• These committees are led by the Local Authority
sector with support from EPA and others.
• There is work to fully establish these new structures
and to consider how they will work with other
stakeholders.
• Business case for additional resources is progressing.
• There is a substantial body of work to be done by the
committees in 2017 to define work plans for 2018
and beyond.