Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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220. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the incentives in place to encourage people to purchase rainwater harvesting equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39389/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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While my Department does not provide a specific grant for rainwater harvesting equipment, funding may be provided towards these purchases for not-for-profit community organisations under the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), specifically through Strand 1/1a.

The CCAP will see €61.5 million from the Climate Action Fund being invested in community climate action projects and initiatives, as well as capacity building, over two phases. The overall aim of the CCAP is to support and empower communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way.

€24m is being provided by my Department to local authorities under the CCAP Strand 1. A further €3 million is being provided by the Shared Island Fund for Strand 1a which supports similar types of projects on a cross-border or whole-island basis. This funding is being provided to local authorities to partner with not-for-profit community groups to take climate action in their local communities.

The programme is providing amounts of up to €100,000 to local projects, projected to complete in March 2026. It is paying for initiatives such as the installation of renewable energy systems, the development of community gardens, or the installation of EV chargers, bike racks, water refill stations, composting, lighting upgrades or rainwater harvesting systems.

Strand 1 is currently supporting approximately 650 climate action projects led by community groups across the country, while strand 1a is supporting approximately 40 projects on a cross-border or whole-island basis. Applications for the second phase are expected to open later this year.