..."it is now necessary to update the bye-laws to ensure that the rules governing use of the waterways are fit for purpose and best meet the needs of all waterway users."...
I wonder if the Minister is aware that Section 5(1) of The Canals Act 1986 stipulates the General Duty of the Commissioners (Waterways Ireland, now) to be....
5.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), on and after the vesting day, it shall be the duty of the Commissioners to undertake the care, management and maintenance of the canals and other canal property as a public amenity for use by the public for navigation in such parts of the canals as are open to navigation from time to time or fishing or otherwise for the enjoyment and recreation of the public and the Commissioners may designate particular parts of the canals and other canal property for particular purposes including purposes incidental to such purposes as aforesaid.
....and that it might be more useful were Waterways Ireland to concern themselves with ensuring that the NAVIGATION itself was fit for purpose,so that boats could reasonably use it, before worrying about the rules governing its use.
My own vessel built in 1912 and specifically designed to travel the Grand Canal at a depth of 4.5 feet fully laden, at a speed of 4 MPH, driven by a 15 hp Bolinder engine, can now only manage to travel at a depth of 3'4", at 1.2 MPH, driven by a 110 hp engine.
It does rather appear from the proposed amendment that Waterways Ireland's actual agenda is to make normal navigational use of the canals/Barrow so impractical and expensive that the additional layers of red tape will drive boats off the canals and onto the Shannon navigation. As for those who currently dwell on boats, I strongly suspect they urgently need to be placed on an endangered species list.
Camper vans and canoes seems to be WI's new mantra for the canals/Barrow....!!
Mick Farrell
Posted on 31 Jan 2014 11:35 pm
..."it is now necessary to update the bye-laws to ensure that the rules governing use of the waterways are fit for purpose and best meet the needs of all waterway users."...
I wonder if the Minister is aware that Section 5(1) of The Canals Act 1986 stipulates the General Duty of the Commissioners (Waterways Ireland, now) to be....
5.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), on and after the vesting day, it shall be the duty of the Commissioners to undertake the care, management and maintenance of the canals and other canal property as a public amenity for use by the public for navigation in such parts of the canals as are open to navigation from time to time or fishing or otherwise for the enjoyment and recreation of the public and the Commissioners may designate particular parts of the canals and other canal property for particular purposes including purposes incidental to such purposes as aforesaid.
....and that it might be more useful were Waterways Ireland to concern themselves with ensuring that the NAVIGATION itself was fit for purpose,so that boats could reasonably use it, before worrying about the rules governing its use.
My own vessel built in 1912 and specifically designed to travel the Grand Canal at a depth of 4.5 feet fully laden, at a speed of 4 MPH, driven by a 15 hp Bolinder engine, can now only manage to travel at a depth of 3'4", at 1.2 MPH, driven by a 110 hp engine.
It does rather appear from the proposed amendment that Waterways Ireland's actual agenda is to make normal navigational use of the canals/Barrow so impractical and expensive that the additional layers of red tape will drive boats off the canals and onto the Shannon navigation. As for those who currently dwell on boats, I strongly suspect they urgently need to be placed on an endangered species list.
Camper vans and canoes seems to be WI's new mantra for the canals/Barrow....!!
Mick Farrell
Master
Canalboat 31B