Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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975. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will ensure that the works that are required in rural County Kildare on the canal at Rathangan will be completed as soon as possible, as currently the damage to the canal prevents navigation from the Barrow to the Shannon. [25582/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by Waterways Ireland that a brick culvert under the Barrow Line of the Grand Canal collapsed suddenly early in the morning of July 11^thlast. A survey of the culvert determined that it would have to be replaced as it was not possible to repair it due to the extent of the damage and the poor condition of the remaining brickwork. Following consultations with the Office of Public Works, Waterways Ireland completed a re-design of the culvert.

The work to replace the culvert began during the second week in August. This work involves extensive earthworks and includes the diversion of the stream, removal of the old culvert, installation of a new pipe culvert and wing-walls and re-building the canal and the towpaths.

It is expected that the work will be completed before the end of October 2016, subject to ground conditions, and that all boats will be able to return to their normal berths before the end of the season.