Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Waterways Ireland was established in the late 1990s as a cross-Border authority responsible for the management of the inland navigable waterways. Its corporate and business plans are approved by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage here. In February 2022, Waterways Ireland stated to the then Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions that it was only in 2021 that it had established a group to focus exclusively on first registration. At that time, only 52% of its property portfolio was registered or at an advanced stage of registration. It was stated also that encroachment had been brought to the agency's attention back as far as 2012. Why did it take 23 years for Waterways Ireland, a statutory body, to begin establishing what it legally owned? When will it be 100% registered? What engagement has the Department had regarding the unauthorised developments extending and expanding on waterways along the Shannon system, including in areas of special conservation and special protected areas? The Irish Government provides 85% of recurrent and maintenance funding to Waterways Ireland.

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