Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Waterways Ireland, a North South Implementation Body under the remit of my Department, has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of 1,000 km of the inland navigable waterway system throughout the island, including the Grand Canal, Royal Canal and the Barrow Navigation principally for recreational purposes. Waterways Ireland engages in promotion, including marketing and development of the tourism and commercial potential of the inland waterways for which it has responsibility. Iarnród Éireann has no statutory function in relation to the canals.

Waterways Ireland works strategically with Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, sports bodies and associations, and local authorities to actively develop the tourism and economic potential of the inland waterways. Waterways Ireland is currently working with these and other bodies in developing blueways as a means to attract new visitors to use the waterways and in response to the growth in demand for recreational activities, such as walking, canoeing, cycling and stand-up paddle boarding.

The Canals Act, 1986, (Bye-laws) 1988 provide for the management of canal and canal property and regulate the use of boats on the Royal Canal, the Grand Canal and the Barrow Navigation. There is no provision in these bye-laws for house boats or for allowing persons to live on board a vessel.

My Department is currently progressing, within the Heritage Bill 2016, amendments to the Canals Act 1986 so as to allow for the subsequent making of bye-laws to better regulate boating on the canals and to manage the use of the canals. The proposed changes to the Canals Act 1986 would introduce a provision for the regulation of the type or class of boats (including its dimensions) that may be used on the canals. The provisions would also provide for the regulation of berths and moorings on the canals. This would include house boats. The proposed changes would allow Waterways Ireland to make new bye-laws to proactively manage the Royal and Grand Canals, as well as the Barrow Navigation. Following enactment of the legislation, Waterways Ireland would intend to bring forward proposed new bye-laws for consideration.

In relation to the Grand Canal Basin area, Waterways Ireland, through the Action Plan for Grand Canal Dock and Spencer Dock, is considering opportunities to increase access to Grand Canal Dock and Spencer Dock to reflect their importance as the gateways to the inland waterways network of Ireland. One of the actions being considered is opening access into Grand Canal Dock from the Grand Canal Dock DART Station on Barrow Street. This would leave Grand Canal Dock directly accessible by rail, just one stop from Trinity College, which would significantly increase the Dock's potential to attract both residents and visitors from this central location in the city.

I can assure the Deputy that Waterways Ireland will continue to work through a partnership approach with stakeholders, including State bodies, local authorities, Fáilte Ireland and, most importantly, local communities to create opportunities to increase the use of these valuable public assets.