Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Waterways Ireland is the largest of the six cross-Border implementation bodies set up under the British-Irish Agreement of December 1999. Its statutory remit is to manage, maintain, restore and develop the inland navigable waterway system, principally for recreation purposes. The navigations under its remit are the Grand Canal, the Royal Canal, the Barrow navigation, the Shannon navigation, the Shannon-Erne waterway, the Erne system and the Lower Bann navigation. Waterways Ireland has continued to develop all of the waterways under its control and many projects have been completed to facilitate the increasing number of people who utilise the navigations for recreation purposes, such as boating, water sports, fishing, walking, etc.

The body has installed some 10,100 m. of moorings since 2000, thereby increasing the mooring capacity of the waterways by 67%. A major capital project to reconnect the Royal Canal to the Shannon and to reopen the canal to navigation is in its final phase. I am delighted that this programme is now completed and I look forward to the reopening of this historic navigation in due course. Work to progress the Ulster Canal project, which will see the restoration of the section from Upper Lough Erne to Clones, is ongoing.

Finally, Waterways Ireland continues to develop and implement projects under its marketing strategy to promote and support greater awareness and use of the waterways. In 2010, Waterways Ireland will invest more than €1 million in these activities. The investment is spread between joint activities, sponsorship, exhibiting at events and exhibitions, marketing collateral development and distribution, website, education, and press and media activity. Waterways Ireland has also engaged in a joint marketing initiative with Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, the Northern Ireland Tourism Board and Fermanagh District Council in promoting a 30 km wide corridor along the Shannon-Erne waterway from Limerick to Belleek.

I am satisfied that Waterways Ireland continues to make very good progress in the light of the available resources in discharging its responsibilities to manage and maintain our inland navigation network for tourism and recreational purposes.

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