Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if funding will be made available to Waterways Ireland for the upgrade of the Royal Canal from Crossguns Bridge to O'Reilly Bridge on Ratoath Road in view of the fact that €11.8 million was returned by Waterways Ireland to his Department in 2005. [12331/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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A figure of the magnitude referred to by the Deputy was not returned to my Department by Waterways Ireland in 2005. Of the total allocation for 2005 from my Department of €33.21 million, there was a saving of €3.2 million in 2005. This arose primarily due to the suspension of the institutions in Northern Ireland and the subsequent and related deferral of the building of the Waterways Ireland headquarters in Enniskillen, which is now due to commence in 2006. In the event of an underspend under any heading, the money is either re-allocated to other projects within the Vote or surrendered to the Exchequer. In the case of deferral, a further provision is re-entered in the Vote the following year.

I am informed by Waterways Ireland that there are no immediate plans for major works on the canal stretch in question but that the question of whether further improvements to amenities there are required will be kept in mind in the context of future programmes of work.