Roscommon County Council’s Community Development Department is delighted to be shortlisted for a coveted Ireland’s Climate Change Leadership Award (ICCLA) in the Small Sustainability Team of the Year category.

The Department has been shortlisted from entries across the 31 local authorities, nationwide. The awards will take place at a special ceremony in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire on Friday, October 3rd.

Roscommon County Council’s Community Development Department have been nominated for demonstrating outstanding leadership in advancing sustainability and climate resilience in the face of increasing extreme weather events.

The Community Development Department - a 15-person team—works to empower local communities, support volunteerism, deliver national and EU-funded programmes, and promote inclusive local development.

In the immediate aftermath of Storm Eowyn, the Community Development Department provided direct support to over 5,000 residents. The dedicated county-wide helpline handled more than 900 calls, with a 95% satisfaction rate recorded in follow-up surveys, ensuring timely triage and response.

The development of the Community Resilience Toolkit has attracted national interest from agencies such as Healthy Ireland, the PPN Network, and the Department of Rural and Community Development & the Gaeltacht.

The Department mobilised 41 Community Hubs—repurposing sports clubs, community centres, and libraries into safe, warm, and fully equipped resilience spaces. These hubs provided food, water, warmth, charging facilities, and psychosocial support, ensuring no resident was left isolated or unsupported.

In the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, the Department also initiated the development of a Community Resilience Toolkit, a pioneering resource that empowers communities to respond to future climate emergencies through structured training, scenario-based learning, and adaptable infrastructure.
The Department operates within the framework of the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP), and the County Roscommon Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 both of which prioritise climate adaptation, mitigation, and sustainability.

Speaking following the announcement, Cathriona MacCarthy of Roscommon County Council’s Community Development Department said she and her colleagues were honoured to be shortlisted.

“This is wonderful news for our hard-working and dedicated staff who worked extremely hard during extreme and unprecedented conditions to support our local communities. The supports provided in collaboration with other agencies can be rolled out again in emergency situations to support affected communities.

“I’d like to pay tribute to my colleagues, the representative groups on our PPN, as well as agencies such as Civil Defence, An Garda Siochana, the HSE, Roscommon Leader Partnership and many others who have and continue to support the delivery of our services to communities across the county”, Ms. MacCarthy remarked.