This presentation was given as part of the EPA-funded Catchment Science and Management Course focusing on Integrated Catchment Management, held in June 2015. This course was delivered by RPS Consultants. If you have any queries or comments, or wish to use the material in this presentation, please contact catchments@epa.ie It is increasingly being recognised internationally that integrated catchment management (ICM) is a useful organising framework for tackling the ongoing challenge of balancing sustainable use and development of our natural resource, against achieving environmental goals. The basic principles of ICM (Williams, 2012) are to: • Take a holistic and integrated approach to the management of land, biodiversity, water and community resources at the water catchment scale; • Involve communities in planning and managing their landscapes; and • Find a balance between resource use and resource conservation ICM is now well established in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. In Europe the ICM approach has been proposed as being required to achieve effective water and catchment management, and is the approach being promoted by DEFRA for the UK, where it is called the “Catchment Based Approach” (CaBA). The principles and methodologies behind ICM sit well within the context of the Water Framework Directive with its aims and objectives for good water quality, sustainable development and public participation in water resource management. In Ireland it is proposed that the ICM approach will underlie the work and philosophy in developing and implementing future River Basin Management Plans.

1. Key Discussion Points

2. Key Discussion Points (brought forward from Day 3)
1. The need for integration across Sectors for ICM to be
effective (agriculture / biodiversity / flood risk management
/ planning)
2. The need for stakeholder buy-in to Building Partnerships.
Requirement for expertise in Public Participation
3. The need for buy-in from Senior Management in Public
Bodies/Role for Minister/CCMA/ Director of Services to
promote importance

3. 4. The need for co-ordination at Local/ Community Level.
Making use of existing structures (Community Enterprises)
5. New WFD Governance Structure - does it address the
weaknesses of the 1st RBMPs?
6. Local Authority Resources for implementation at Tier 3 is a
huge potential restriction to effective ICM
Key Discussion Points (brought forward from Day 3)

4. 7. Farm Advice – are the Regulatory & Advisory roles of the
Local Authorities compatible?
8. The need to integrate Green Cert/ AGR Science courses
with RBMP Modules
9. PIP maps will refine existing risk maps but are we staying
within our comfort zone? Who is addressing the key issue
of proposing and implementing effective Programmes of
Measures?
Key Discussion Points (brought forward from Day 3)

5. 10. Is there sufficient time built into the timeframe to engage
with stakeholders, particularly where they will be affected
by measures ?
11. Who has been assigned responsibility for undertaking an
economic analysis of the proposed measures?
12. The need for Dept of Environment and Dept of Agriculture
to engage at an early stage in the development of the
Programme of Measures to be fully aware of costs
Key Discussion Points (brought forward from Day 3)

6. 13. How will the effectiveness of measures be established? Do
we have a sufficient baseline?
Key Discussion Points (brought forward from Day 3)