Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I thank the Deputy for his proposal, I am not accepting the amendment as it proposes provisions which are appropriate to the making of by-laws. The provision in the Heritage Bill is an enabling one to allow Waterways Ireland to make by-laws for the issue of permits or licences to authorise and regulate the use of boats on the canal and canal property. My understanding is that the meetings the Deputy attended with the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, Waterways Ireland and my officials were most constructive and that many of the concerns raised can be addressed in the context of future dialogue between the parties and consultation on by-laws rather than in primary legislation, which is not the appropriate place to specify detail of the sort proposed. I thank the Deputy for all his work.

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