Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Okay. The large-scale ones are what I and many communities along the Shannon are concerned about. We have not got off the blocks with it yet. Waterways Ireland is researching it. There is more urgency about it than that. Has Waterways Ireland contacted or liaised with any local authority along the Shannon on unauthorised developments? I see unauthorised developments coming before planning departments of county councils for minor matters. There have been a number of complaints about these. Witnesses spoke about putting up fencing to protect their amenity. The River Shannon is their amenity on behalf of the public we represent. Why has the same urgency not been given to large-scale operations without licence, permit, fees or planning permission? Zero. Nothing. It is a remarkable situation. Most of them have not been there since before 1963, when planning permission was not required or was handled by a different body. Waterways Ireland has been in situ for over a quarter of a century and we are hearing this morning this issue has not been dealt with. How many local authorities has Waterways Ireland been in contact with?