John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of money Waterways Ireland receives for the purpose of cleaning the canals; if he is satisfied that the cleaning of the Grand Canal in Dublin takes place on a regular enough basis to justify the payment of this money; if he has received a recent report regarding the cleanliness of this canal; and the action he intends to take to ensure that this canal is cleaned on a regular basis. [25364/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that the responsibility for day-to-day maintenance of the canal network lies with Waterways Ireland. The Body was allocated €8.3m approximately in 2006 for the purpose of maintaining the canals, including the Royal Canal, Grand Canal, Barrow Navigation, canalised sections of the Shannon Navigation, and the Shannon Erne Waterway. The maintenance works include weed control (cutting and spraying), dredging, grass cutting, hedge cutting, towpath/bank maintenance and litter collection.

Waterways Ireland informs me that the cleaning of the Grand Canal in the Dublin area is carried out on a regular basis having regard to the resources available. Litter removal and grass cutting work along the canal is generally undertaken by Waterways Ireland staff on a continuous rotating 'section by section' basis. While I am not aware of the report that the Deputy refers to, I am satisfied that the Dublin section of the Grand Canal is cleaned as regularly as possible, having regard to current resources.

I must stress however that if people desisted from throwing things into the canal and along the bank it would reduce the cost of maintaining the canal and free up resources for more productive purposes.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action he will take to ensure that Waterways Ireland co-operate with Dublin City Council in reinstating the antique lamp standard on Huband Bridge, Percy Place, Dublin 4 as soon as possible. [25365/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Waterways Ireland has confirmed that it will contact Dublin City Council to examine the options for the reinstatement of the antique lamp standard on Huband Bridge, Percy Place, Dublin 4.