Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to move forward the reopening of the Ulster Canal as one of the best cross-Border projects with support from all sections of the communities north and south of the Border; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21144/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, one of the functions of Waterways Ireland, a North-South implementation body established under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999, is to examine the possible restoration of the Ulster Canal. At this time, no decision has been taken to proceed with the restoration of the Ulster Canal and, in view of the current "care and maintenance" mode in which the North-South bodies are operating, the Deputy will appreciate the difficulty of advancing the issue at this time.

As the Deputy knows, a study was commissioned which estimated the cost of the restoration of the full Ulster Canal at approximately £90 million stg based on year 2000 costs. Matters arising in regard to the project, including the question of whether a phased or partial approach might be feasible, remain under consideration by my Department and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in the North.