Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the grants available to interested groups to develop waterways and associated amenities here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24942/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are no grants available, at this time, from my Department or Waterways Ireland to groups to develop waterways and associated amenities. However, my Department, along with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland, jointly funds Waterways Ireland, which has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of certain inland navigable waterways, principally for recreational purposes. The waterways under its remit are the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the Shannon, the Erne, the Grand Canal (including the Barrow Navigation), the Lower Bann and the Royal Canal. Waterways Ireland is also responsible for taking forward the restoration of the south-west section of the Ulster Canal from Upper Lough Erne to Clones. Waterways Ireland works with a wide range of interested parties, both public and private, in developing these waterways and their associated amenities. For completeness under the new Rural Development Programme funding will be available to groups to develop amenities associated with the Waterways.