Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will speak first on amendment No. 7. Heritage boats can travel on the canal. In fact, any boat that fits on the canal can travel on the canal. There is no need for this additional wording. The maximum dimension criteria are already in section 14 of the 1988 by-laws so it is not necessary to qualify this subsection further. The canals have not changed in size so the 1988 by-law provisions are adequate. The size is determined by the width of the lock chamber and the depth of the canal. It is any boat that can fit on the canal. It would not make sense to insert this provision because we cannot legislate to put a boat on the canal that will not fit. The amendment states "subject to existing maximum dimensional criteria". If a boat was bigger than the canal, it could not go on it anyway.