Mr. Éanna Rowe:

I am delighted to be able to discuss the matter of alleged encroachments with Deputy Buckley. As I informed the Committee of Public Accounts last week, we have identified more than 430 possible encroachments on the Shannon navigation. A total of 76% of those encroachments identified related to what we are classifying as minor encroachments, which means encroachments of less than five berths. They are in the form of in-cuts, single jetties or small private marinas at the back of people's homes. Categorisation of major encroachments, that is, encroachments accommodating more than five berths, which include the commercial marina developments, account for 23% of total encroachments. Almost 68% of these encroachments predate the establishment of Waterways Ireland. We have inherited this as a legacy item. Many of the encroachments date back more than 50 years. We have set up a new unit within Waterways Ireland in the last year to work on the encroachments. It is going to take us time. Each encroachments requires surveying, legal inputs and consultation with the local authorities and planning authorities. However, since we established the unit, we have 55 of the 430 encroachments currently in process, which we are trying to regularise.