John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am grateful to the Chair for giving me the opportunity to raise what is a very important issue for my constituents especially and, indeed, anyone who cares about the environment. The mission statement of Waterways Ireland reads as follows:

Waterways Ireland is the guardian of Ireland's inland navigations. Our mission is to provide a high quality recreational environment on waterways in our care for the benefit of all . . . . . The inland waterways have intrinsic value as areas of ecological, archaeological, architectural, engineering and historic value. Their size and geographical extent within Ireland are of regional and international significance.

As a consequence, Waterways Ireland says it wants to manage them "in an environmentally sustainable way". These are lofty and laudable aspirations but do they match the reality? I am afraid they do not. The sections of the Grand Canal and Grand Canal basin in my constituency are in a poor state. They have been the subject of numerous complaints to my office. So frustrated are many of my constituents with the state of the canal that they have taken matters into their own hands by trying to clean it up themselves. I have assisted them on a number of occasions but in such a rich country — the second richest in the European Union, if we are to believe statistics — we should not have to undertake this sort of work, which is the duty of Waterways Ireland.

I urge the Minister to venture not far from his offices and take a walk along the canal towards Portobello. He can look at the shopping trolleys, traffic cones, beer cans, bottles and bin liners. Does the Minister think this is acceptable? He should walk towards Baggot Street, where he could observe people outside The Barge pub enjoying themselves. The canal is a wonderful amenity in our city, so often celebrated by one of our greatest poets, Patrick Kavanagh. Further along, close to Huband Bridge, local residents have for years looked for a new lamp stand. If one carries on along the canal, one would come to the Canal Basin and the Grand Canal Dock. Following pressure from me, a major clean-up was carried out there on 30 May last but it should never have come to that. I have photographs which show the appalling state the canal had fallen into.

Staff in Waterways Ireland have told me off the record that there are very serious funding issues in this regard. Last year, €7.75 million was spent on the cleaning of the canals. To date this year, only €2.88 million has been spent. More money is needed and more staff are required. My sources tell me that staff spend much of the summertime clearing out and cutting weeds, which is very time consuming, and that the amount of litter increases in the summertime. What is needed is greater investment and a dedicated core staff. I would go so far as to suggest we require dedicated canal wardens, which would be the best way forward.

There is no question but that the canal is a fantastic amenity. I recently visited County Kildare, where I swam in the canal, which is fantastic in that area. I would like to have a situation where we can swim in the canal in Dublin. We must clean it up. I have visited German cities where the canals are fantastic. That is the vision I have for the canal in Dublin and for my constituents. They will be grateful if the Minister of State can provide positive news.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I have listened attentively to the Deputy. I am delighted he has raised this issue because in so doing he has given me an opportunity to reacquaint myself with an area for which I had responsibility in a previous life. I am standing in for the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, who must attend to other responsibilities.

Waterways Ireland employs dedicated operational staff who are responsible for the upkeep of the Grand Canal. These staff carry out day-to-day maintenance operations and the cleaning duties to which the Deputy referred. Their duties include weed control, cutting and spraying in water, dredging, grass cutting, hedge cutting, towpath and bank maintenance and litter collection. The litter removal and grass cutting work is generally undertaken on a continual basis, with each section being attended to on a rotating three week basis.

At any given time, in the summer months, there are approximately nine full-time staff operating on the stretch of the Grand Canal between Ringsend Basin and the 12th Lock at Lucan, a distance of approximately 16 kilometres. These staff comprise three lock-keepers, two weed-cutting boat operators and four others involved in litter collection and grass cutting.

As the House will be aware, the summer months can bring their own problems regarding waterway maintenance and increased litter. To counteract these problems Waterways Ireland has hired a contractor with a hydraulic excavator fitted with a weed-cutting basket to cut and remove vegetation from the canal channel in the locations where this machinery can gain access. The use of this contractor has freed up Waterways Ireland staff to further concentrate on grass cutting and litter removal.

Waterways Ireland's regional staff monitor the situation on the ground on a daily basis and have noticed an increase in litter being deposited on the canal banks, which subsequently makes its way into the water channel. Waterways Ireland is determined to address this issue. However, I must make the point that people who use the canal — I am sure the Deputy will agree with this point — must take personal responsibility for not damaging the amenity that attracts them to spend their lunch time there in the first place. I plead with the general public to bring their rubbish back to the office bin with them and to enjoy their lunch alongside the canal but not to throw litter alongside or into the canal.

The Deputy will be interested to learn that Waterways Ireland spent approximately €750,000 in 2005 on maintaining the Grand Canal on the stretch between Ringsend Basin and the 12th Lock at Lucan. Much of that money could no doubt have been better spent if our citizens could be persuaded not to litter in the first place. That said, I am informed that Waterways Ireland will carry out trials with a specialist subcontractor towards the end of July using a purpose-built boat designed to collect and remove floating and submerged debris. These trials will be carried out on the city levels from Baggot Street to Portobello.

Waterways Ireland works closely with local community groups which are concerned about keeping the canal amenity in pristine condition, including groups who organise clean-up days in the area between Portobello and Ringsend Basin. The Deputy might be interested to know that one of these clean-ups is planned for this coming Saturday — he might be planning to join it.

We are all indebted to the great spirit shown by the local communities along the canal. However, neither local community groups nor Waterways Ireland can prevent other, less responsible, people from depositing litter. Dublin is privileged to have two wonderful canals at the heart of the city. Very few cities have such wonderful amenities and I would like the Deputy to join with me and the Minister in asking for greater civic responsibility from all users of the canal.

I commend Waterways Ireland on the tremendous efforts it is making to ensure the waterways of Ireland are preserved and enhanced for the benefit of all the people in both parts of the island.