Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach.

Waterways Ireland, established in 1999 under the British-Irish Agreement Act, is charged with the management, maintenance, development and restoration of Ireland's inland waterways, principally for recreational purposes. In total, it manages some 1,000 km of waterway on both sides of the Border, including the Shannon navigation, the Lower Bann, the Barrow navigation, the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal and the Shannon-Erne waterway. Coming as I do from the Border county of Louth, I have always had an interest in the Ulster Canal which runs from Lough Erne in County Fermanagh to Clones in County Monaghan. However, the economic downturn has had a negative impact on plans to fund the restoration of this canal. Significant income was expected to be raised to cover the cost of the cross-Border route by selling Waterways Ireland assets, but the recession has set matters back. Planning permission to reopen the 14 km route from Lough Erne in County Fermanagh to Clones in County Monaghan has been granted by local authorities north and south of the Border. New towpaths and bridges will be created as part of the €35 million work which is expected to take three years to complete. The Ulster Canal is a disused waterway running through parts of counties Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan. It originally linked the Lough Erne river system with Lough Neagh, but it has not been used since 1929. The economic downturn has had a negative impact on proposed plans. Despite this, the Ulster Canal project is progressing incrementally. I look forward to the section of the canal from Lough Erne to Clones being completed in the next few years. It will add to the existing tourism potential of counties Cavan and Monaghan.

The headquarters of Waterways Ireland is located in Enniskillen, with regional offices located in Carrick-on-Shannon, Dublin and Scarriff, County Clare. Waterways Ireland reports to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín, in Northern Ireland. It is managed by a chief executive who reports to the North-South Ministerial Council and joint sponsor Departments. Some 85% of current expenditure is met by the Government in the Republic, with the remaining 15% being met by the Northern Ireland Government. Capital expenditure is funded solely by the Government in the jurisdiction in which work is being undertaken. This year the Minister will provide over €24 million for Waterways Ireland.

Since its establishment, Waterways Ireland has restored the Royal Canal to navigation, opened up new cruising destinations at Boyle and Ballinasloe, developed integrated recreational facilities at Lough Key, Enniskillen, Clondra, Killaloe, Clashganny, Shannon harbour, Enfield and Mullingar, doubled mooring capacity and developed a necklace of recreational services all along the waterways.

Over one quarter of Ireland's 1,000 km network is man-made, over 200 years old and still works in the way designed. This is remarkable and a credit not only to the original engineers but also the continuing maintenance work carried out by Waterways Ireland staff. From undertaking bank repairs or weed-cutting to managing canal side vegetation and keeping verges and towpaths accessible, day-to-day maintenance work is essential to the smooth running of the waterways.

Waterways Ireland, in research undertaken into the private boating sector, estimates it is worth between €80 million and €100 million per annum to the national economy. In a separate study undertaken by Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland of the cruise hire sector, it is estimated that it contributes between €15 and €20 million per annum. Waterways Ireland is planning further research later this year which will further quantify the economic and social dividend from inland waterways.

Waterways Ireland is also obliged to manage the canals and, in that regard, preparing new by-laws for consideration. It recently concluded a public consultation on its proposed revision of by-laws. Many who live on boats on waterways could see their waterways fees rise very considerably from €150 per annum to €3,500 under the new proposals. This is a significant increase, if true. Over 100 people live permanently on their boats on waterways. The new proposed charges would mean a fee hike from €152 to €1,250 to €3,500 for household moorings, depending on location, the services available and size of boat. Hundreds more boat owners would be affected by an increase in fees from €152 per annum to €1,600. Boat owners who moor in the same location for more than five days could face fines of up to €5,000.

The proposed charges are excessive and, if implemented, will damage the tourism potential of our waterways and cause us to lose significant business, while many small mooring locations may disappear. I urge the Minister to consider seriously the proposed charges and establish more reasonable ones for all boat owners.