Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total funding provided by him to Waterways Ireland for 2011; the breakdown between capital and current; the mechanisms with which he monitors the spending of such funds; if Waterways Ireland has been included in the Government's current and capital review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16222/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Waterways Ireland is the largest of the six North-South Implementation Bodies, established in 1999 under the British-Irish Agreement of December 1999. It is responsible for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the inland navigable waterway system throughout the island, principally for recreational purposes. Waterways Ireland has responsibility for approximately 1,000 km of navigable waterways, comprising the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the Shannon Navigation, the Barrow Navigation, the Grand and Royal Canals, the Erne System and the Lower Bann Navigation. In 2007, Waterways Ireland's remit was extended by the North South Ministerial Council to include responsibility for the restoration of the Ulster Canal between Clones and Upper Lough Erne.

The 2011 budget for Waterways Ireland is the subject of ongoing discussions with the co-sponsoring Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland and will require formal approval by the North South Ministerial Council. My Department has an estimated funding provision of €30.3m for Waterways Ireland for 2011, made up of €6m capital and €24.3m in current funding. Funding in future years will also require formal approval by the Council.

In accordance with procedures in place, Waterways Ireland reports regularly to Ministers from this jurisdiction and Northern Ireland in the Inland Waterways Sectoral meetings of the North South Ministerial Council. Such a meeting is scheduled to take place on 7 July next.

Waterways Ireland is also subject to regular monitoring by a monitoring committee comprising officials of my Department and the co-sponsoring Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland. This committee monitors expenditure and progress against the Waterways Ireland annual business plan. The body also complies with the provisions of the Financial Memorandum agreed for it by the two sponsor Departments and the Finance Departments, which prescribes detailed financial arrangements for the body.