The Government has announced a €42 million investment to scale up key initiatives aimed at improving water quality in rural and urban areas next year.

The funding, a fourfold increase on 2025 levels, will support projects under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Water Quality capital programme.

It will target three main areas: the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP), urban nature-based solutions for surface water management, and the National Barrier Mitigation Programme to restore river habitats.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan said the funding underlined Ireland’s commitment to nature restoration.

“By improving water quality in our rivers and lakes, we strengthen habitats and help entire ecosystems to thrive,” he said. “These initiatives directly contribute to the upcoming Nature Restoration Plan’s water ecosystem targets and will accelerate delivery.”

Under the Farming for Water EIP, which was launched in March 2024 and is managed by LAWPRO in partnership with Teagasc and Dairy Industry Ireland, more than 4,300 farmers have already signed up. The project funds practical on-farm measures such as riparian buffer zones, hedgerow planting and river fencing to reduce nutrient and sediment losses.

Funding for urban nature-based solutions will support local authorities in developing projects that use plants, soils and green spaces to manage and clean surface water. Twenty capital projects have been completed since 2024, with lessons from these being integrated into future infrastructure planning.

The National Barrier Mitigation Programme, led by Inland Fisheries Ireland, will continue efforts to remove or modify river barriers such as weirs and dams to restore fish migration routes and improve sediment flow. Since 2024, 14 barriers have been fully mitigated, with 27 more currently under way.

Additional investment will support ongoing water protection initiatives involving local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department, including ICT systems, environmental assessments and cross-border collaboration.