Community Water Development Fund 2024 Assessment and Resilience Pilot Project Evaluation: Inishowen Rivers Trust and Maigue Rivers Trust
Client: Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO)
Introduction/Overview Section:
Exodea Europe Consulting Limited was initially appointed by the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) to evaluate the Inishowen Rivers Trust and Maigue Rivers Trust Resilience Pilot Projects.
This was followed by an appointment to assess the Community Water Development Fund 2024.
LAWPRO is a national service representing all 31 Irish local authorities.
It coordinates efforts to ensure high water quality in rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and groundwater under the EU Water Framework Directive, bringing together local authorities, government bodies, and communities to protect Ireland’s water resources.
Project Details Section:
Project Evaluations
In 2018, the Rivers Trust developed the concept of the Resilience Pilot Project.”
In so doing, it was recognised that a dedicated Project Officer would have the technical capacity to attract more significant water quality management funding than might otherwise be the case.
Additionally, it was considered that the creation of professional posts would result in the following outcomes:
Better engagement with stakeholders.
Higher organisational profile.
More professional management.
Better governance.
Capacity to achieve more at a faster rate.
Exodea Europe Consulting Limited undertook an evaluation to:
1. Review the outputs and measures for success in terms of the Project Officers’ responsibilities, including the following:
Quarterly reports.
Interviews with Project officers.
Interviews with The Rivers Trust.
Interviews with the local Community Water Officers (CWOs) working with the Rivers Trust Project Officer.
Interviews with LAWPRO staff, as required.
2. Make conclusions in terms of the success or otherwise of the Project.
3. Make recommendations for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in terms of support, if needed, for the water community sector considering the project findings but also more broadly considering the expanding role of communities in the draft and final Third Cycle River Basin Management Plan 2022-2027 (RBMP).
The Community Water Development Fund 2024 was a funding programme managed by the Local Authority Waters Programme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
It allocated over €1 million to support 54 projects across 24 counties to enhance local water bodies, improve water quality, and boost biodiversity.
The assessment reviewed the Fund’s effectiveness concerning Action 36 of the draft Third National River Basin Management Plan.
The focus was to:
1. Assess synergies with other funding streams across public bodies to enhance cohesion and improve water quality.
2. Determine if alternative funding can build long-term community environmental capacity – notably core cost support – as the new 2024 CCSF outlines.
3. Review CWDF projects, analysing the range and scale of work delivered with €2.5m of public investment, and evaluate the governance of annual grants for Rivers Trusts and Catchment Associations.
4. Identify constraints and capacity gaps and recommend whether funding criteria, timelines, or core funding provisions should be adapted.
Outcomes/Results Section:
Evaluation Outcomes and Recommendations
The evaluation concluded that the Resilience Pilot Projects had largely succeeded in achieving their aims.
This was despite the challenging delivery limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several operational recommendations emerged from the assessment process, including:
Realigning Funding Categories
Realigning Funding Levels and Controls
Match Funding Requirement
Adequacy of Funding
Improved Community Water Catchment Fund Coordination Efforts