Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the canals, I have read the by-laws and I have major concerns about the 21 day period provided from the date of their publication. The timescale is too short. The fines and regulations, which are excessively severe, will not encourage people to use the canals. They are not in place on other Irish waterways. There is a five day move-on rule, forcing boats to move every five days. If they do not, they may have to pay €150 a day if they are moored. That is not acceptable. The provision for the application of other penalties in the legislation with no independent appeal mechanism is disgraceful. There is no adequate provision for elected local authority representatives to be consulted on any proposed by-laws, and there is provision to apply other penalties with no warning or independent mechanism. Proper pre-consultation and engagement with the canal communities should involve the users, the customers and the elected local authority representatives.