Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know that we differ on that. I can assure the Minister that Waterways Ireland did not want to hear anything that would question its authority as a North-South body. If it is not willing to listen to us as Members of the Oireachtas within the confines of Leinster House, then I would hasten to add that there is little chance that it will listen to ordinary users or to people who are representative of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland. There are concerns and there has to be a clear remit given to Waterways Ireland that it cannot drastically increase these costs. I know that the Minister mentioned an initial increase from €126 to €130, but that is not in the Bill. There may be some indication from Waterways Ireland that that is what it is about to do, but it is not underpinned in the legislation, nor should it be underpinned in the legislation. Consultation is required and I very much welcome that. If there are to be increased by-laws, there should be consultation and that should form part of the 90-days consultation. I presume that that is the case and any increase in fees will form part of this new 90-day consultation. That is to be welcomed.

There has to be a bit of leeway here. It cannot be written in the legislation, but Waterways Ireland, as a North-South body, which receives substantial funding, in the region of 80% from the Irish State and 20% from the Northern exchequer, has to listen to the users here. The taxpayer is funding its activities. It has to listen. It has not done that up until now. It certainly has not done so in the Barrow network or in other areas. As I understand it, it is undertaking an investment in the region of €16 million to develop towpaths without any analysis of the impact on flooding or economic analysis of the benefits or otherwise of the project. There are questions to be asked. I posed some of these questions at the briefing in Leinster House but there were no answers to very simple questions. If €7 million is being spent to develop a towpath along the River Barrow, it may or may not have implications for flooding. A senior engineer working for Kildare County Council said it would have major implications.Despite this, no study or analysis of the flooding implications was carried out on the project.

Consultation is required and Waterways Ireland, which has done some excellent work, must listen to ordinary stakeholders. If it had done so, I would not have to raise concerns because the amendments are the result of grassroots concerns. The extensive engagement between departmental officials and Waterways Ireland in recent weeks and months must continue. If all else fails and the North-South body is unwilling to listen, the stakeholders need a pathway into the Department through which they can raise concerns.