Mr. Jerry Gleeson:

I thank the Senator. In the context of Grand Canal Dock, people do not need to be vulnerable or old age pensioners, given the type of fee increases being talked about. A couple with good jobs would have difficulty paying €7,500, especially when there is no expansion in services or anything like that. Out further, if I can pick an example, a retired man has been living on a boat in Sallins for 25 years. He was working for 15 of those years. He is now retired. For 15 of those years as well he lived on the grass bank before there was any jetty. He moved onto the jetty when it was built and paid all he was asked to pay, including for the dodgy permit, as we call it, which has no basis in law. Now, he is on a fixed income. Next November, Waterways Ireland is going to ask him for €2,000. What we would like to know from Waterways Ireland is what will happen when that man says he does not have the money. How will the process go forward from that point? He does not have €2,000. What will happen? I cannot see how the process will work. I cannot see what Waterways Ireland will do. This is a question we have in our community. That man cannot pay. What will happen to him? He is not alone. I know there are more retired people on that jetty in Sallins. There are more retired people living in Lowtown and Hazelhatch as well. There is a good cohort of retired people all around our communities.