River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) are a requirement of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Through RBMPs, member states must outline how they intend to achieve good ecological status in their waters. RBMPs should outline the characteristics and the status of the waters in the region they cover, and crucially, the pressures experienced by each water body. RBMPs must set out key measures and a clear approach to address the outlined pressures in order to ensure the protection and restoration of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters over a six year period.
Ireland’s first River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) was published in 2009, the second in 2018 to run until 2021, and the third RBMP was published in September 2024 and was called the Water Action Plan and will run until 2027. Here is SWAN’s press release reaction to the Water Action Plan.
SWAN participates in consultative processes as part of the Government’s river basin management planning.
River Basin Management Plan 2009 – 2014
River Basin Management Plan 2018 – 2021
River Basin Management Plan (Water Action Plan) 2022 – 2027