Mr. Liam Finnegan:

I thank the Cathaoirleach and committee members for giving us the opportunity to have this serious issue debated. Without its intervention, these by-laws may have been a done deal by now. While welcoming many changes to the draft, we also believe that major issues for many boaters remain. The annual registration fee of €200 is a red line for most boaters. It is seen as a tax on boaters - an afloat charge - regardless of whether you use your boat one day a year or all year round. It targets a small number of people, while exempting other users who probably use the waterways more than anyone. As an all-Ireland body, the people of Northern Ireland will be exempt with no plans to introduce such a charge there. The 60-day visitor pass is basically a 32-county entity attempting to establish a hard border on our island where the people of Northern Ireland will be charged to visit our waterways. How objectionable is that? One of the first and biggest cross-Border initiatives post the Good Friday Agreement was the reopening of the Shannon-Erne waterway to try to connect people on both sides of the Border. Now, Waterways Ireland is trying to curtail that movement with these charges. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Waterways Ireland seems to view itself as a property management company rather than as a custodian of our waterways with responsibility to manage the waterways on behalf of the citizens of Ireland. Waterways Ireland states that the waterways generate €600 million for Ireland Inc. annually. This generates a huge tax take for the Exchequer. Profit generated from waterways represents an extremely good return on the Irish State’s investment in Waterways Ireland. It is incumbent on Waterways Ireland to preserve and increase this income by creating favourable conditions for all waterway users and businesses through these by-laws. By its own admission, the introduction of these new charges to boaters and businesses will reduce boat numbers on Ireland’s waterways. Thus, Waterways Ireland, while creating additional income for itself, will reduce income for waterside businesses and the State alike. As this is my opening statement, I will finish now with the hope of having time to discuss the many major issues we have with some of these by-laws, including equality in law, the fears of commercial operators, an appeals system and some of the elephants in the room concerning Waterways Ireland's governance, or lack thereof, and its operations. I thank the Chairman.