Ms Dawn Livingstone:

We are re-examining the environmental studies that were done for Killykeen and Killeshandra. I know the area, but for those members who do not it is akin to wilderness lake areas in Canada where one thinks, "Oh my goodness, that is fantastic". That is what we have in that area. I will not dress this up. I believe there are significant environmental challenges. It is a special area of conservation and has the highest protection in Europe. To create navigation would require significantly raising the level. The preliminary studies we did show that we would be unable to make the level of mitigation required. We are, however, re-examining those studies. We are earnestly seeking a way of doing this. If it is not possible to create navigation, it is a superb area in which to create a blueway, with the other activities I described, and it is unique in its scope and extension. We have met the council for the area and offered whatever assistance we can. We will also do studies on the issue.

Deputy Smith asked about the balance and the understanding in our sponsor Departments. We are at a critical point in respect of funding. This ties in with Senator Black's question about how the activities would be paid for. We are like the National Roads Authority in that we provide a piece of major infrastructure off which lots of other stuff runs, and because it is there the other stuff flourishes. The villages along a waterway, for example, flourish because a public body sees that it is maintained and opened, that people can get on and off it, and it brings activity. Waterways Ireland is at a tipping point and there are choices to be made. I do not believe it is a simple answer. Both countries have limited amounts of money and choices have to be made about how it is invested. I have tried to outline some of the things we are doing, which is trying to create significant income sources for each waterway, for example, through developing a valuable site we own in Dublin's docklands. Ultimately, however, charging will enter the equation. We only charge on the canals. With the model across Europe, in the United States of America and in Canada people who have boats pay something towards that public infrastructure. To put that into context, if the owners of the 8,000 boats on the Shannon were each to pay €100 per year to use the navigation - like a road tax to use a car - it would increase by 67% the amount of money available to run the Shannon.

A range of measures will be needed and I know that charging is always difficult. We are funded and both Departments are very supportive. There are pressures in lots of ways but if we are compared with Scottish Canals, it is funded by the Scottish Government with €18 million for 220 miles of navigation, while Waterways Ireland has responsibility for 1,000 km and funding of €24 million. We are on the pin of our collar in what we are trying to deliver. We are trying to keep expanding the towpaths and next year we will open up another stretch of the Royal Canal. We do not make income from the towpaths. They are free to use and that is the joy of these amenities, and they will always be free to walk. We have entered into partnerships and formal agreements with the councils where we will meet annually and the councils will invest in the ongoing maintenance along with us. The Achill greenway is 42 km but the Royal Canal greenway will be 140 km. We recognise that if we are creating projects of this scale they are of international significance and they will require money to be invested. We have gone forward in partnership and we will maintain them in partnership to try to spread that base.

Safety and security issues vary depending on location. As we have developed and improved facilities and towpaths and as more people use them, they have become safer. People then own the spaces, are on them more often and we can provide lighting in urban areas. If one creates a long corridor where people cannot get on or off easily, people do not have the same feelings of security. We have to be mindful of that while also protecting what is special about these green spaces in the city. Safety is a challenge that we are mindful of.