Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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155. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the stage of the proposal to make the River Erne navigable from Belturbet to Killykeen and Killeshandra, County Cavan; when this project will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8755/16]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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156. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the proposal to extend the River Shannon Navigation from Lough Allen in County Leitrim northwards towards Dowra in County Cavan; when this project will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8756/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together.

I have been informed by Waterways Ireland that it commissioned a Strategic Environmental Assessment for the proposed extension of the Erne Navigation from Belturbet to Killeshandra and Killykeen in Co. Cavan. Based on the environmental information obtained from this process, Waterways Ireland considers that the environmental designations of this lake complex make the feasibility of the proposed navigation extension unviable at this time.

Waterways Ireland has also advised me that, following the refusal of An Bord Pleanála to award planning permission for the extension of the Shannon Navigation towards Dowra, the various issues raised in the planning process have been reviewed and reassessed. Having regard to this review, Waterways Ireland considers that any proposed extension to Dowra is not feasible at this time.